Barbe-Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin Veuve Clicquot is a woman as worthy of toasting today as she was 200 years ago, when she single-handedly invented Champagne as we know it. As a widowed, single mother still in her 20s, Madame Clicquot took the reigns of her late husband’s winemaking company and created a new way to ferment Champagne so that it was no longer clouded by yeast sediment. The resulting wine also had smaller bubbles and a less sweet taste than the sparkling wine of her day. Clicquot gambled her family’s future, and fortune, on the idea that wine lovers would come to love the dry, effervescent and crystal-clear Champagne she created. Her vision, as we know, paid off handsomely, and today, more than 150 years after her death, the brand which still bears her name continues to delight consumers the world over.
This year, as generations of Champagne lovers raise a glass to say “merci” to this pioneering woman, businesses can capitalize on consumer love for Veuve with a renewed focus on Clicquot Rosé, a modern blend that traces its popularity back to the Widow Clicquot. Not only is Clicquot Rosé a historically important drink, it’s a modern favorite: Veuve Clicquot Rosé is the number one Brut Rosé Champagne in the U.S., based on value and volume, growing 14% in value and 18% in volume in 2017.*
A Gentle Brut
Like the early rosé created and popularized by Veuve Clicquot, modern rosé is a luxury, but one that is far more attainable than its 19th-century ancestor. Clicquot Rosé today is modeled after the original Yellow Label’s traditional blend of 50% to 55% Pinot Noir, 28% to 33% Chardonnay and 15% to 20% Meunier grapes. According to Moet Hennessy, the blend also draws on reserve wines, originating from several harvests: from 25% to 35%, sometimes as much as 40% to ensure the consistency of the House style.
Consistency is key to a brand’s long-term success, and Veuve Clicquot’s legendary quality and consistency are second to none. Consumers know that a bottle of Clicquot Rosé will be incredible, every time, with liquid that is a gentle, luminous pink, delivering a nose of fresh red fruits, notes of biscuit and dried fruits and a fruity, harmonious palate year after year.
That consistency also makes Clicquot Rosé an ideal part of any birthday celebration, providing a beloved touchstone which the birthday girl or boy can happily come back to again and again. According to the Washington Post, modern consumers are increasingly opting to spend money on enhancing their experiences, with beloved treats like Clicquot Rosé, rather than purchasing material goods.
Clicquot Rosé offers consumers the chance to make their celebrations, birthdays in particular, more special and enjoyable each year, creating traditions that can last for decades. Wine Spectator awarded Clicquot Rosé 91 points and said “This creamy Champagne shows fine balance, along with vibrant acidity that provides a juicy frame for the ripe strawberry, ground ginger and white peach flavors. Zesty finish. Drink now through 2020.”
We suspect wine lovers will be drinking it far beyond 2020.
Talk to your Breakthru Sales Consultant to learn more about Clicquot Rosé and the full line of Veuve Clicquot products, and how your business can capitalize on the brand’s worldwide celebration.
*Source: IRI, 52 Weeks thru 12.31.2017.