Happy Aloha Friday. We have had a week! Even in paradise, events occur that are out of your control, and you can either melt into a puddle of tears or be focused, fearless, and decidedly determined. The Cogill’s take the latter.

And, as our glass is always half full, we are making it half full of Champagne, Veuve Clicquot to be exact.

The Champagne house has another strong, determined, very focused woman to thank for their success. Madame Clicquot took the reins of the family winery when her husband unexpectedly passed away in 1805, leaving her to either leave the business, letting it likely fail, or dig her heels in.

She, too, chose the latter, building the iconic brand that is celebrated internationally today. Today 95% of the fruit used in the production of Veuve Clicquot is from vineyards classified as Premiers Crus or Grands Crus, with all vineyards using fruit free of herbicides since 2018.

You know you smile when that yellow label bottle shows up as a hostess gift at your house when hosting a dinner party. Veuve Clicquot set the standard for quality and has maintained that through generations since its start in 1772.

With as many as 60 different Crus (vineyards) blended together, Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne ($45-$60) is vibrant, zesty, and fresh while remaining textured and beautifully structured.  The structure comes from the Pinot Noir (usually around 50% of the blend), with the finesse and elegance coming from Chardonnay (typically around 30%) and the final kiss of decadence coming from Pinot Meunier (about 20%.) Honeysuckle, brioche, and lemon blossom leap from the glass of tiny bubbles leading to flavors of red apple, pear, blanched almond, creamy custard, spicy ginger, and a hint of vanilla. Lively and inviting, the wine is easy to enjoy on its own (sip slowly as it is very easy on the palate) and gorgeous with caviar, lobster, poached chicken, light pasta, fresh apple pie.

#Cheers