Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label

(roughly 50% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay and 20% pinot meunier; Lot 14009913): Light gold. Musky orchard fruits and dried fig on the mineral-accented nose. Fleshy and broad on the palate, offering smoky pear and nectarine flavors and a hint of honey. Finishes on a gently spicy note, with very good cling and a touch of bitter lemon pith. Things have definitely begun to turn around for this bottling, which had been lagging behind the winery's vintage offerings for some time.

This best-selling Champagne is getting slightly drier. This bottling also has touches of attractive toastiness that suggests some bottle age. Final acidity and white fruits keep the freshness.

The latest rendition of Clicquot's emblematic NV Brut Yellow Label contains around 35% reserve wines-mostly from the last five vintages-and was finished with 10 grams per liter dosage. Offering up aromas of warm bread, peach, citrus oil and crushed chalk, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a sweet core of fruit marked by a touch of sweetness from its dosage, concluding with a clean, nicely defined finish. Almost 20 million bottles are produced every year.