The yellow label on Veuve Clicquot's flagship Champagne started as a practical choice. It first appeared on bottles in 1876, used to tell dry Champagne from sweet on the British market, and the colour was trademarked in 1877. The house itself dates from 1772 in Reims.
Yellow Label is the house's emblematic cuvée, and Pinot Noir leads the blend, with Chardonnay and Meunier, drawn from 50 to 60 crus. Up to 45 per cent can be reserve wine, taken from a library of about 400 reserve wines aged up to 30 years. The dosage is 9 grams per litre.
Expect pear, apple and peach, a lift of mandarin and grapefruit, and brioche and pastry from the lees. The house serves it at 8 to 10 degrees and pairs it with fresh, crunchy food such as a radish and shrimp salad with grapefruit, maki, tartare and carpaccio, or even a burger with grilled meat, caramelised onions and cheddar.