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.
Wine Spectator, 92 points: Sleek acidity frames this harmonious Champagne, with flavors of lemon curd and crushed blackberry, accented by pistachio, anise and fleur de sel notes. Creamy and well-meshed, showing zesty drive on the finish. Disgorged...
Wine Spectator, 92 points: A mouthwatering Champagne that's finely balanced and carries rich notes of Honeycrisp apple, toast, lemon curd and glazed apricot on the lively mousse, while a streak of chalky mineral lingers on the finish. Drink...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: The golden-yellow colored NV Grand Cru Le Mesnil sur Oger Diapason displays a deep, intense yet fresh, fine and complex bouquet of great elegance and terroir expression with chalk and citrus notes. Vinified 45% in small...
Vinous, 90 points: The NV Extra-Brut Garennes is rich, ample and inviting, with all of the textural intensity that is the signature of Vincent Laval’s wines. Readers should expect a rich, boisterous Champagne laced with generous Meunier...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: Tasted from magnum (the 750-milliliter bottle costs $285), the NV Brut (Gold) opens with lovely matured brioche, toast and ripe fruit flavors. Fresh, pure and elegant on the palate, with beautifully matured flavors and an...
Vinous, 92 points: The 2013 Brut Nature Cumières exudes depth and creaminess. A host of dried pear, licorice, lemon confit, orchard fruit, brioche and spices flesh out in the glass. The Cumières is a blend of equal parts Pinot Noir, Meunier...
jamessuckling.com, 91 points: This has quite a soft, flavorful feel with plenty of fresh, apple and lemon flavor. Fresh, open and bright. Drink now.
jamessuckling.com, 92 points: A very fresh and bright, lemon and white-peach nose with gently flinty nuances, leading to a very fresh, pared-back and clear-cut, dry palate. Drink now.
Vinous, 94 points: The 2011 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs L'Avizoise Grand Cru has more than enough brawn and depth to fill out its frame. The richness of fruit of this clay-rich site, along with the flavor complexity that is gained through...
Vinous, 97 points: A wine of sublime delicacy and finesse, the 2009 Cristal Rosé is simply magnificent. The 2009 is surprisingly refined, silky and nuanced for a wine from a warm vintage. The red and floral-infused overtones are quite...
jamessuckling.com, 98 points: An extraordinary one-hectare parcel of pinot noir planted in 1964. Deep golden hue. An extremely rich and majestic nose with savory notes of cocoa, smoked mushroom, forest floor earthiness, grilled hazelnuts, orange...
Vinous, 91 points: The 2011 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Minéral Grand Cru is a very pretty wine, even if it is a touch light in this vintage. A wine of modest structure and complexity relative to the norm here, the Minéral does avoid the...
jamessuckling.com, 97 points: Four blocks here, the same since 1974 – two in Aÿ, one in Mesnil and one in Avize – all selected for their ripeness and ability to push this further. There's a spicy and exotic nose that has quite expressive redder fruit...
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