Popping the Cork on Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne

Confession: I’ve never really had good champagne. Or, really, actual champagne from the region of, you know, Champagne. So this year for my birthday, when Ryan asked what I’d like, I said a bottle of the Yellow Label: Veuve Clicquot Brut. I’d heard the stuff was amazing and a few years ago I’d read a book by the former CEO who turned the whole company around and onto a new generation (it’s a good read, by the way), so I’d always wanted to try it.
Seeing that we celebrated the heck out of my birthday with a whole weekend of amazing eats and drinks, we decided to enjoy my half bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label on Valentine’s Day, where we made our own little indoor picnic with tasty goat cheeses, meats and fruit. (Including strawberries for champagne-tasting, of course!)

Even the egrafe (the cork cage) is gorgeous and royal, no? A fun little surprise for this Veuve Clicquot newbie.

And I don’t know what it is about a champagne cork, but they’re just so pretty. And, okay, you’re right. Kind of phallic, too.

For this special occasion, we busted out the Tiffany champagne flutes my best woman gave us as our wedding gift (aren’t they gorgeous?!), toasted to love and got to tasting.

It was seriously like a whole new world opened up to me. I’ve had decent sparkling wine and good prosecco before, but this was—amazing. Like roll-your-eyes-back-and-get-angry good, especially when paired with the strawberries. Pleasantly dry, it has hints of vanilla and fruit that taste quite lovely. Lovely enough for a very special occasion, for sure!
I’m not in the right income bracket to drink Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label regularly, but, man is it a good treat. And I just keep thinking about it…All good things in moderation, after all. (And if you’re reading this and ever need to buy me a gift; you know what to do.)
Have you ever tried Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label? Love celebrating or splurging on a really nice bottle of champagne every now and again? —Jenn