Champagnes are both festive and elegant, have become the international luxury beverage of choice for festivals, special events, and just because. Champagne is a great everyday drink because of its simple drinkability and meal compatibility. Though Champagne is described as sparkling wine produced in the Champagne area of France, we’ve selected a few bubbly brands from other parts of the world that deserve to be recognized and served at your most elegant gatherings. To offer you some ideas, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top champagnes available.
The Right Way to Drink Champagnes
Champagnes taste finest when served in a white wine glass. The bigger bowl of a white wine glass allows the wine to open up in the glass, allowing you to better appreciate all of the scents and the richness of the champagne. Make sure the cage is on your bottle when you open it. The cage offers you leverage to help separate the cork from the bottle and helps you manage the cork, so it doesn’t fly out when it bursts. Fill your glass roughly one-third full of champagne before pouring it. If you pour too much water, it will heat up too rapidly. Also, remember to hold your glass by the stem rather than the bowl, since your hands will quickly warm the champagne. Remember to use a nice champagne cork in between pours to save all the lovely bubbles. If you have bottles of champagnes in your fridge, don’t put it off until a special occasion. You’ll notice that opening that wine will bring a wonderful occasion to you. Every day is a reason to rejoice.
Phillponnat Clos de Goisses 2007 Champagne
Clos des Goisses, a 5.5-hectare single-walled vineyard, is Champagne Philipponnat’s crown jewel. Originally known as Vin des Goisses, it was renamed Clos des Goisses in 1959, launching the Clos champagne category created from grapes planted within walled vineyards. Clos des Goisses 2007 Rich golden color with a fine and delicate bubble stream. On the scent, there’s a little smokey fragrance with vanilla and fragrant herbs. Pears dominate the taste, with touches of mint, ginger, and spices. Throughout, there is a lot of energy and a long lingering finish.
- Pros: soft, delicate, and polished taste
- Cons: contain sulphite
BOLLINGER Special Cuvée Brut Champagne
Bollinger’s Special Cuvée Brut is a standout among their Champagnes, representing over a century of history and expertise. Bollinger’s British agent suggested the name, which was spelled in English as “special” rather than a French phrase. On the palate, it has a lovely fizz of silky bubbles, with flavors of pear, brioche, and spices, as well as a vibrant golden hue from a blend of pinot noir, chardonnay, and Meunier grapes. On the long finish, hints of brioche and crisp walnut linger to complement this robust Special Cuvée.
- Pros: complex, powerful, and rich in the palate
- Cons: overwhelming to the palate
DOM PERIGNON Plénitude 2 2003 Vintage Champagne
If discovering Dom Pérignon’s champagne wasn’t exciting enough, the business now offers the Plentidudé 2, a more delicate vintage. Thanks to 15 years of slow change in the cellars, the essence of this 2003 bottling has grown longer on the palate and more robust in every way. The hot summer harvest imparts an aroma of lime trees, ashy minerality, and dried fruits, as well as softly expanding, iodine flavor notes. Sweet, vanilla-laden fruit, hay, juniper, cookie dough, and cream all dominate the nose. It’s exuberant, round, and textured on the palate, with a hint of firming phenolics from a hot year on the rear palate.
- Pros: Refine and delicate taste, rich aroma
- Cons: contain sulfite
DOM PERIGNON Brut Rosé 2006 Champagne
This vintage rosé is lively and exuberant, while yet maintaining the Dom Perignon house’s distinctive champagne style. It has a fragrant flowery bouquet with traces of orange peel, dried fruits, and woody spices, and it comes from one of the world’s most prestigious champagne companies. On the nose, it’s a little too tight. At first, there are hints of rose petals and raspberry, but after a little more time in the glass, the nose is lifted by lots of red fruit flavor. In the palate, there’s a lot of spice and black cherry notes, with tropical fruit flavors on the mid-palate and a lengthy finish. Freshness and acidity are well-balanced.
- Pros: tropical fruit flavors, fragrant and well-balanced notes
- Cons: too fragrant and sweet to the palate
DOM PERIGNON Brut 2012 Champagne
When there’s a reason to celebrate, there’s no better way to do it than with Dom Pérignon. Few Grand Marques in Champagne can even come close to matching its brilliance, and only Richard Geoffroy, the in-house Chef du Cave, would declare a vintage year like this 2012 bottle, which is known for its smooth palate. From the initial pour, notes of young fruit and undertones of smoke rush forth, opening up to crimson and tropical fruits. Dom Pérignon ended up with an incredible selection of intriguing and adaptable building blocks for the 2012 cuvée, particularly on the Pinot Noir front, with the wines from A, Verzenay, Bouzy, and Hautvillers looking quite strong. The aroma is extremely welcome with DP’s trademark smokey charm, intensely fruity, and vintage of both freshness and solidity. The sparkling or tingling feeling that takes over and energizes the rich, round, and compact palate is the wine’s most distinguishing attribute. This anxiety and brightness add such an exhilarating dynamic to the lengthy, exquisitely luscious palate that it almost seems electrically charged.
- Pros: exquisitely luscious palate, Strong but delicate, rich, round, and compact palate
- Cons: taste can be too overwhelming
RUINART Ruinart Blanc De Blancs Second Skin
This beautiful Blanc de Blancs Champagne from Ruinart is offered with a second skin this time – and it’s not just for show. Sustainability is a driving factor for Maison Ruinart’s future, and it all starts with our eco-friendly gift box option. A delicate yellow-golden tone with a hint of radiance. Fresh ripe fruits are always present in the aroma, leading to a flowery palate with peaches and touches of pineapple. From start to end, this well-balanced and exquisite champagne has overtones of citrus fruits.
- Pros: Eco-friendly, clean taste, robust flavor
- Cons: limited number only
RUINART Blanc de Blanc NV Champagne
Ruinart’s champagnes are famed for their high quality, and the Blanc de Blancs NV Champagne is no exception—one it’s of the estate’s classics. The wine’s rich flavor comes from a carefully selected combination of chardonnay grapes harvested mostly from Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims vineyards over several years. A delicate yellow-golden tone with a hint of radiance. Fresh ripe fruits are always present in the aroma, leading to a flowery palate with peaches and touches of pineapple. To the long-lasting finish, this well-rounded and exquisite champagne leaves traces of citrus fruits.
- Pros: well-rounded and elegant tasting,
- Cons: overwhelming fruity aroma
Laurent Perrier Limited-Edition Cuvée Rosé Butterfly Robe
When the Cuvée rosé champagne was originally introduced in 1968, it symbolized Laurent-assertive, Perrier’s individual personality. The delicate butterflies on this special Robe edition represent the house’s commitment to safeguarding the environment via viticulture. Laurent-Perrier Rosé is subtle, forceful, and extremely fresh on the nose, with notes of strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, redcurrants, and black cherries. The scent is like breathing the rich aromas of a newly harvested basket of berry fruits, and the taste is like breathing a symphony of flavors with a gently-rounded, soft aftertaste.
- Pros: intricate design, distinct fresh floral notes
- Cons: light to the palate
VEUVE CLICQUOT La Grande Dame 2012 x Yayoi Kusama Limited Edition
Only Veuve Clicquot can portray the story of La Grande Dame so beautifully in champagne. It was named after Madame Clicquot to honor the quality of the pinot noir grapes obtained mostly from the Grands Crus and the House’s ancient properties. Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist, created the 2012 Brut case and bottle: observe the polka-dot décor, which is her distinctive style reinvented as champagne bubbles. “Playful, vibrant, laughing,” says Didier Mariotti, the house’s Cellar Master. Initial notes of white flowers, such as jasmine, honeysuckle, and vine blossoms, can be sensed on the nose, which then opens with fruitier nuances of apple, pear, and peach. A few flavors of fresh almond and frangipane round out the aroma on the tongue. The cuvée’s smells in the tongue are more complex: dried apricot, hazelnuts, honey, and sugar candy. The wine’s charm, grace, and character are enhanced by its silky textures.
- Pros: complex taste and aroma, intricate design,
- Cons: overwhelming to the palate
VEUVE CLICQUOT Clicquot Tape exclusive Limited-Edition Brut NV champagne
With the Clicquot Tape edition of their Brut NV champagne, Veuve Clicquot pays homage to the retro trend. The limited-edition cassette case—which you can personalize to make it your own—represents an old method of expression that many people used to express themselves, whether it was bringing the community together or making a music mix for a loved one. Scanning the following QR code will lead you to the “So Retro” playlist, where you may savor the notes of rich fruit and toasty brioche while listening to some wonderful music. This features a delicate bead of bubbles and is golden yellow in color. On the nose, there are white fruits and well-balanced citrus aromas. On the palate, the Pinot Noir dominates but is wonderfully balanced by the subtle Chardonnay. On the finish, there are ripe fruits and traces of brioche.
- Pros: Well balanced notes, rich fruit, and toasty
- Cons: light to the palate
DOM PERIGNON Limited Edition Dom Pérignon x Lady Gaga Brut 2010 Champagne
The Dom Perignon and Lady Gaga are the two world-renowned names collaborating on the release of limited-edition champagne, 2010 Brut that is a class in vinification expertise in and of itself. It’s brimming with tropical fruits, citrus, and delicate peony, and it’s finished with a ripple-effect label that alluded to the fluidity of expression. The aroma is rather prominent, with that distinct match-strike smokey flavor coming through slightly. On the taste, there’s smoked bacon, pineapple, and guava, with underlying juicy lemons and vivid red apples, all wrapped up in a texture from extensive lees aging. Finishes incredibly fresh and light, with a trace of salty and a twist of bitterness that really helps balance the delicacy and finish.
- Pros: delicate, clean aftertaste, prominent aroma
- Cons: design is too simple
GOSSET Grand Reserve Rosé Champagne NV
The optimum blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir may be found in Gosset Grand Reserve rosé champagne. Ambonnay and Bouzy red wines properly balance the Chardonnay-dominant combination. With a tiny amount of reserve wine and a low dosage, this is typically described as “almost a vintage.” A light salmon-pink color with strawberry and fresh fruit aromas. A structured red berry and zesty tongue with orange and strawberry flavors that finish fresh and long.
- Pros: intense, vibrant, and mellow palate
- Cons: weird aftertaste
Perrier-Jouët Blason Rose Champagne
Perrier Jout’s Blason Rosé Champagne, gift-boxed. This wine boasts robust aromas of red fruit and is made with a cépage of 45 percent Chardonnay, 50 percent Pinot Noir, and 5 percent Pinot Meunier. This goes great with delicately cooked fish or desserts with red fruits. This unusual champagne is light yellow in color and has a delicate stream of bubbles. On the nose, there are traces of lemon and citrus. On the palate, tropical fruit freshness and undertones of fresh ginger. A fantastic rendition of champagne’s greatest vintage.
- Pros: delicate in the palate, fruity aroma
- Cons: to femme taste
Taittinger Brut Prestige Rose NV Champagne
Taittinger Brut Prestige Rose Champagne is a full-bodied, wonderfully fruity Champagne with hints of strawberry and raspberry. This goes well as an aperitif or with fruity sweets. It is well-known for its golden color and beautiful, lingering mousse. The nose is delicate and light, with notes of peach and brioche. It has great depth on the palate, although it is rather light in style, with delicate refinement and a long fresh finish.
- Pros: has great depth on the palate, light in style
- Cons: can be overwhelming to the palate
Our Top Pick
Our top pick out of all the champagnes listed above is the VEUVE CLICQUOT La Grande Dame 2012 x Yayoi Kusama Limited Edition. La Grande Dame, created in 1972 to commemorate the House’s bicentennial, is a homage to Madame Clicquot, popularly known as ‘La Grande Dame de la Champagne.’ It is a special mix of eight of Veuve Clicquot’s historical Grand Crus and is a mineral and fresh reflection of the Veuve Clicquot style. La Grande Dame x Yayoi Kusama is a partnership to honor Veuve Clicquot’s long history of innovation and design. The wine’s charm, grace, and character are enhanced by its silky textures. The wine has gained depth and strength as a result of the maturing process.
Kristine Decena is a professional editor with over 10 years of experience in the publishing industry. She specializes in editing food and drink, footwear, clothing, and other lifestyle content. She has worked for such notable companies as The New York Times Company, Food Network Magazine, HarperCollins Publishers Inc., Hearst Corporation and Condé Nast International. Kristine is a graduate of Ohio University where she obtained degrees in English Literature and Journalism before embarking on her career as an editor.
