Second Tasting

Wine With Bok - 9.5/10 Stars 

2014 vs 2018 Andre Clouet Dream Vintage Blanc de Blancs

Two Champagnes Walk In… One Walks Out a Legend

One Dream Vintage Just Beat Them All – Again!

This was no ordinary tasting. Side by side, the 2014 and 2018 Dream Vintages revealed just how dramatically a single year can define greatness. The 2014 was simply sensational. Bok declared it the most balanced Dream Vintage he’s ever tasted. Elegance, minerality, and a silky texture align beautifully with subtle toasty brioche, white peach, and chalk — a true Grand Cru champagne with poise and finesse. He rated it 9.5/10 and didn’t hesitate to crown it his absolute favorite, even above the highly rated 2012.

The 2018, on the other hand, leaned more into lemon custard, freshness, and youthful verve. While delightful in its own right, it lacked the same equilibrium and complexity found in 2014. It's charming and citrus-led, but doesn’t quite hit the same peak of harmony. And the kicker? In a previous tasting, 2014 already triumphed over 2008. Now it beats 2018 too. A back-to-back champion! (07/2025)

Maison André Clouet spans 9 hectares of parcels, all of which grand cru, located in Bouzy. It has been upholding tradition and regional expertise for more than 200 years. The domain even owns vines gifted by Napoleon, as a thank you for his role as king's scribe. The Chardonnay which makes up this cuvée has been grown on clay and limestone soil before being harvested by hand. The Maison has favoured alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in steel vats. The wine has then aged on its lees for four years. On tasting, it unfurls a fine balance marked by aromatic freshness and a full-bodied palate. Thus, we find notes of white fruit, citrus fruit and minerals on the nose whilst the palate is generous and marked by extremely fine bubbles.

First Tasting

Wine With Bok - 9.25/10 Stars 
For Andre Clouet Dream Vintages, I have matched many vintages like soccer match, so far both 2008 and 2014 are my favorite vintages, one has to win the trophy. The yellow label of 2014 gave me an impression of lemon fruits, and certainly my instinct was spot on. Upon a whiff, the sharp lemony character gushed through my nose, of course the spiky bubbles also enhanced the scent. Surprisingly, the content wasn’t like what the bouquet has expressed, it’s much more balanced and pleasant taste, very gentlemen character, power with finesse. The 2008 was a very different style altogether. The bouquet revealed very metallic, stainless steel character, which was very symbolic of the 2008 vintage. Upon a sip, I was taken aback, as the extreme elevated acidity skewed my palatte towards having a really sour lemon taste. I wasn’t sure if this was an off-bottle as my past tasting with 2008 wasn’t like tonight’s bottle. I definitely award the trophy to 2014 based upon tonight’s showdown. (04/2024)