’Tis the season of sparklers and bubbly. With its satisfying pop of the cork and tingle over the tongue, no other beverage signals joy and celebration quite like Champagne.
Those celebrating the season—or just a Tuesday night out—take note: Botanist in the Fairmont Pacific Rim is the only place in Vancouver you can get Veuve Clicquot’s La Grande Dame 2018 vintage until the new year.
La Grande Dame is the Champagne house’s signature vintage, and recalls Madame Clicquot, the famed winemaker who was widowed at the age of 27 (veuve means “widow” in French). The clever entrepreneur took over her father-in-law’s wine business in 1805 when it was inconceivable for a woman to do so, and built herself an effervescent empire through innovation and nerve. It’s what earned her the nickname “la grande dame of Champagne.”
Today, the La Grande Dame vintage is only made during years when the quality of the grape harvest is as exceptional as the wine’s namesake. In production since 1972, the 2018 vintage is the 25th of this particular cuvée, and is the result of favourable weather that yielded exceptionally high-quality grapes.
Until 2026, there is only one place in Vancouver to enjoy La Grande Dame 2018 vintage—but there are a few ways to imbibe. First is the La Grande Dame Garden Gastronomy Pairing, where Botanist chef Hector Laguna pairs the Champagne with a dish of fermented potato, cured egg, parmesan, and wagyu beef tartare (available until Dec. 2, 2026). From Dec. 2 to 31, the festivities move to the cozy Taschen Library, where paired bites accompany the esteemed sip. Or simply enjoy it by the glass or bottle.
After all, if we’re raising our glasses, what’s inside the flute should be just as good as the company we’re toasting. —Jill Von Sprecken
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