(roughly 50% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay and 20% pinot meunier; Lot 1400913): Light gold. Musky orchard fruits and dried fig on the mineral-accented nose. Fleshly 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.

Comprising 85% of production, the NV Champagne Yellow Label Brut is 40% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and the rest Meunier, with 35-40% reserve wine. Entirely fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, it spends three years on the lees, and the wine sees 9 grams per liter of dosage, but the house does not disclose the disgorgement date. A golden straw hue, it's ripe with aromas of yeasty bread dough, peaches, and fresh flowers. Medium-bodied on the palate, it's ripe and juicy with rounded red berried fruit, a supple texture, a pillowy mousse, and a warming finish. Fresh and inviting, this is a solid and consistent aperitif to enjoy over the coming several years.

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.