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, 95 points: A superior rosé champagne with alluring wild strawberry, flint and smoke aromas, followed by crunchy cherry fruit, redcurrant and rhubarb flavours. Long, gently nutty, finish. Beautiful wine.
Vinous, 98 points: The 2012 Cristal is another absolutely stellar wine this flight of recent releases. Rich, vinous and beautifully textured, the 2012 has been nothing short of magnificent on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. In...
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.
Vinous, 97 points: The 2006 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine, but it needs time to be at its best. I am surprised by how tightly wound it is. But that only makes me think what it might develop into with...
Wine Spectator, 94 points: A rich, toasty overtone brings you into the glass of this satiny rosé, offering flavors of baked white cherry and raspberry fruit, saffron, brioche and citrus peel, all deftly meshed with vibrant acidity. Elegant...
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...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: A fruity and fresh, tangy rosé with peach and apple aromas and flavors and hints of cream and lemon rind. Subtle and satisfying. Drink now.
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...
Wine Spectator, 93 points: Wild cherry and berry flavors form a pure beam of ripe fruit in this mouthwatering Champagne, layered with well-cut acidity and a minerally underpinning. A delicate thread of aromatic spice accents notes of grilled nut...
Vinous, 94 points: Delamotte’s 2012 Brut Vintage is rich, creamy and super-expressive. This is only the second vintage (the first was 2008) in which fruit from Oiry rounds out the classic core of Le Mesnil, Oger and Cramant that forms the...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: The brioche and cooked-apple and cream character really comes through here. Full-bodied and round with fine bubbles. Flavorful and intense. Vivid, bread-dough finish. This is four years on lees. 55% chardonnay and the...
jamessuckling.com, 92 points: Very tangy and energetic with apple and lemon-curd aromas and flavors. Bright and exciting. Tight and full-bodied. Layered and solid. Dried fruit with an electric finish. Zingy is the word. Drink now.
Vinous, 94 points: Coulon's NV Extra Brut L'Hommee 1er Cru is gorgeous. Powerful and ample in the glass, with tremendous resonance, the L'Hommee dazzles with its energy and persistence. Orchard fruit, wild flowers and spice overtones take...
jamessuckling.com, 92 points: Fine bubbles combine nicely with the cooked apples, pie crust and lemon rind. Some biscuit, too. Full body. Layered and creamy with a crisp finish. Always delicious. Drink now.
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