Champagne is a sparkling wine made from grapes coming from the Champagne region in north-central France. Producers must follow rules requiring the secondary fermentation of the wine in bottle to create the bubbly carbonation. Champagne is a blending of base wines which, ideally, create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. These “base” wines come from an assortment of wines—the Chardonnay white grape and Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier for red—from various villages and vineyards.
Two areas in the Champagne region are thought to be best for their superior grapes: the Montagne de Reims, which is perfectly located for producing the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier red grapes, and the Côte des Blancs, whose soils of limestone and chalk are excellent for Chardonnay. The Vallee de la Marne, which lies in a thin band along most of the region and is home to both red and white grapes, is the biggest area other than the Aube district, which lies further to the south.
Each decade, there are only four out of five harvests in the tough climate northeast of Paris that generate the needed ingredients to produce complete and balanced Champagne, vintage-designated, wines. They are, by definition, wines made entirely during the year indicated on the label. Because of this, most Champagnes also blend juice from two and more vintages.
This act of blending vintages is the means Champagnes producers employ to maintain their “house style” and provide their customers with a dependable, and consistent, product. With non-vintage wine accounting for about four out of five bottles of all Champagne produced, it makes sense that the status of most major houses depends on the quality and uniformity of their non-vintage offerings. Lucky for the Champagne-enthusiast, non-vintage bottles are often just as good as their vintage counterparts—and considerably less expensive.
Decanter, 96 points: Decanter World Wine Awards 2020. Citrus-infused, peachy and creamy characters on the nose with some autolytic nuttiness. Rich, savoury and multidimensional palate brimful of raspberry, white chocolate, coffee, and...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: The latest release of Palmer's emblematic NV Blanc de Blancs Brut is showing very well, bursting from the glass with gently reductive aromas of crisp orchard fruit, toasted bread, nectarine and iodine. Medium to...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: (97+ points) The flagship release is the 2006 Champagne Rare, a 70/30 split of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that’s a cellar selection from 8 different Grand Cru vineyards. Tight, backward, and straight-up structured, it...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: Cinnamon and dried nutmeg add to the experience of bread dough and rose petals. Flavorful on the medium-bodied palate and finely poised with bright acidity. Medium-long on the finish. Drink now.
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: While still young, this Champagne has all the makings of greatness. Produced from grand cru vineyards, it already balances ripe white fruits with a firm structure that will age well. It's relatively dry and has plenty of...
Decanter, 95 points: A first whiff of lemon zest immediately sets the tone. More air and swirling then reveals a backdrop of chalk but also the enticing, cloudlike zestiness of lemon meringue pie. The palate comes in on very light feet – on...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: The latest release of Taittinger's NV Brut Prélude Grands Crus is showing nicely, offering up aromas of pear, crisp stone fruit, warm biscuits and marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and precise, with tangy acids and...
Decanter, 94 points: The nose opens with the fresh ripeness of yellow apple and highlights of Granny Smith. It has beautifully subtle autolysis on the palate, deepening into notes of creamy apple crumble, Golden Delicious and Mirabelle plum...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 points: Revisited from the June 2019 disgorgment, Larmandier-Bernier's 2011 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant continues to drink superbly, bursting from the glass with aromas of pear, peach, toasted...
Wine Spectator, 92 points: Baked cherry and strawberry fruit flavors are ripe and juicy in this bright rosé, underscored by minerally smoke and chalk accents. Hints of candied orange peel, dried thyme and ground ginger play on the fruit range and...
jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: (98+ points) The 2008 Champagne Rare Rosé is straight-up sensational. Only the second time they’ve produced this cuvée, it offers a deep, full-bodied, powerful yet chiseled and laser-focused style carrying loads of wild...
Wine Spectator, 98 points: A beautifully bright and expressive Champagne, with precision and vivid acidity throughout; roasted coffee bean and graphite notes lead to a rich palate of toasted brioche, crystallized honey, bergamot and crème de...
Vinous, 95 points: The 2016 Extra Brut Vignes d’Autrefois is 100% Meunier from vines planted in 1947 and 1964 done in neutral oak. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the 2016 offers a compelling interplay of Meunier richness with striking...
jamessuckling.com, 98 points: This is a very thick, dense DP with layers of ripe fruit. Dried apple, pineapple and pie crust with some nougat undertones. Dense and layered with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Umami undertone. This has the highest...
Decanter, 95 points: The most subtle lemony cloud hovers above a certain chalkiness on the nose. Utter subtlety also characterises the super-svelte palate that is as light as a feather, yet conveys great depth and creamy softness. The...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: Disgorged in June 2017 with a dosage of six grams per liter, the 2008 Brut Premier Cru Vintage is an assemblage of 50% Grand Cru Chardonnay fermented in cuves and 50% Premier Cru Pinot Noir from Aÿ fermented in 205-liter...
Decanter, 96 points: Decanter World Wine Awards 2021. Attractive nose of oatmeal, white chocolate, plums and verbena; lovely length. Rich and concentrated, the palate is appealingly dextrous, finely balanced and impressive; long and...
Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: This beautiful Champagne is amazingly at its peak. Not too mature, not too young, the wine is in fine balance, showing some nervy edge as well as touches of toast. With a small amount of wood vinification, the wine has...
jamessuckling.com, 92 points: Always tangy, clean and refined with a creamy texture and lightly cooked apple and pie-crust undertones. Medium body. Lovely texture and a long and flavorful finish. Drink now.
jamessuckling.com, 95 points: A very fine-textured Champagne with lovely density and finesse. The bubbles roll off the palate. Full body. Extremely creamy and flavorful. Shows wonderful finesse and a lovely, chalky, lemon-curd and brioche aftertaste...
Vinous, 94 points: The 2015 Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Longues Voyes 1er Cru is powerful, rich and resonant, with tons of Pinot Noir character that comes to life with time in the glass. This is an especially bright, focused expression of...
Wine Spectator, 91 points: A well-knit Champagne with a citrusy, orange peel overtone and a lithe backbone of acidity enlivening flavors of cherry and apricot fruit, grated ginger, pastry and minerally saline. Creamy finish. Drink now through 2023...
Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: As always, this Pinot Noir-dominated Champagne is a great wine. In this vintage, it is fuller than usual, perhaps less structured—a true reflection of the vintage. Like all releases of this cuvée, the wine will age...
Wine Spectator, 92 points: A lithe and lacy Champagne that wraps flavors of ripe pear, blanched almond and candied lemon zest with lightly juicy acidity. Hints of graphite and spice show on the fresh finish. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and...
View From The Cellar, 91 points: The current bottle of Delamotte non-vintage Brut in the market has a cépages of fifty-five percent chardonnay, thirty-five percent pinot noir and ten percent pinot meunier. It offers up a refined bouquet of apple chalky...
Vinous, 95 points: The NV (2016) Extra Brut Rosé de Saignée is a classy, gorgeous wine. Bright, sculpted and finely chiseled, the 2016 has so much to offer. Chalk, mint, white pepper and crushed rocks perk up the red berry fruit. Sweet...
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