Champagne André Clouet, “Grande Réserve” Grand Cru

Today’s $45 luxury experience is arguably the greatest Grand Cru value in Champagne, an opinion that seems to have been broadcasted, received, and transformed into fact because André Clouet’s “Grande Réserve” is hotter than ever before. And still, Clouet continues to defy everything we know about Wine Econ 101: demand has skyrocketed, quality is at an all-time high, and prices remain virtually unchanged. If there was ever enough of this texturally rich, deeply delicious Grand Cru Pinot Noir sparkler to go around, I’d be singing its praises on the daily like a newspaper hawker of yore. But alas, times have changed. Even though we maintain first rights over each new disgorgement, like today’s, we can no longer offer them whenever we desire. As far as a full-fledged offer goes, once per year has become the norm, perhaps twice if we’re lucky. Our longtime subscribers always take their full 12-bottle allocation so if you’re new around here, all I can say is time is of the essence! BONUS: