Pommery’s Cuvée Apanage Brut 1874 is a non-vintage Champagne released to mark a significant anniversary for the Reims house: Pommery’s introduction of Brut Champagne in 1874, a turning point that helped define today’s drier, food-friendly style. The blend is built primarily on the 2018 harvest, supported by reserve wines from 2015 and 2012. Sourced from 17 crus across Champagne—including the house’s Clos Pompadour in Reims—it’s a classic three-variety assemblage (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier) and spends about 48 months on lees in Pommery’s chalk cellars before release. Alcohol is 12.5%, with a stated low dosage.

In the glass, reviewers consistently describe a Champagne that balances ripe fruit with bakery and nut tones, delivered in a refined, creamy texture. The strongest critical note comes from Decanter, which awarded an excellent 95 points and highlighted how “energetic primary fruit characters fold into the plush patisserie and nutmeg richness,” finishing with a “long honeyed finale” (Decanter).

Wine Spectator (92 points) emphasizes poise and detail, calling it “an elegant Champagne,” with “white peach and raspberry fruit, smoked almond, and blood orange sorbet” carried by a “plush, finely detailed mousse.” The same review notes “juicy, refreshing acidity,” plus lingering accents of “fleur de sel, verbena and vanilla,” and recommends drinking “now through 2030” (Wine Spectator).

Wine Enthusiast (92 points) finds a darker-fruited register, with “pressed blackberry, sugarplum and violet” on the nose, while the palate stays “precise and restrained,” driven by “brisk acidity,” “chalky minerality,” and a finish that “lingers not by weight but by finesse” (Anna-Christina Cabrales, Wine Enthusiast). James Suckling’s 92-point review aligns with the wine’s creamy, lightly sweet-toned complexity, citing “sliced pears, pie crust, honey and lemons,” and a “silky and gently honeyed” close with “light almond and vanilla” (Claire Nesbitt, JamesSuckling.com).