| 1. Krug Grande | 2. Louis Roederer | 3. Moët & Chandon |
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Are you planning for a party and confused about the drink of the occasion? What’s better than a smooth and sparkling French Champagne! Select the best champagne for your occasion and raise the toast!
Champagnes are prestigious vintage drinks that have been extremely popular for ages. In recent times, they have moved forward from being an aperitif or toast-raisers and are one of the most preferred beverages along with food. Hence, if you want to make your event exceptionally memorable, go for a flawless bottle of this classic drink.
Champagnes are usually produced by reputed houses of the Champagne region that have been developing the taste of Champagne for ages.
CHECK THE TOP 13 BEST CHAMPAGNES NOW!With so many historical houses and brands, finding the ideal champagne for you might become a challenge. To help you out with the confusion, here is our list of the best champagnes in the world.
After considering all the important factors and reviews from champagne lovers around the globe, here is our list of the best champagnes for you:-
Top 13 Best Champagne 2020
1. Krug Grande Cuvée Brut Champagne N.V.
Krug is often hailed as the Holy Grail of Champagnes. It is a gift to the wine lovers of the world from Joseph Krug, who founded the House of Krug in 1843 in Reims, Champagne. The family has ever since been producing this majestic drink.
Krug Grande Brut has been a favorite choice of champagne lovers for ages and it is still one of the most popular and prestigious brands in the world. The reason for this unparalleled love is their finesse in the champagne-making and the rich collection of their vintages and classics.
Each bottle of Grand Cuvée is made from over 120 different wines from more than ten different years. Three different varieties of grapes, i.e., Pinot noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier, are collected from various vineyards to form this golden sparkler. Double fermentation and long aging make the outcome a highly-recommended and loved champagne of the world.
A single bottle of this heavenly drink takes around twenty years to reach its richest form, including six years at the wine cellars. The result is worth the wait and undoubtedly it is the best champagne in the world and the top-ranked option on our list.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!2. Louis Roederer Cristal
Lous Roederer is another classic name in the champagne market. The house has a glorious history of winemaking and has been serving its finest collections to royalties and wine lovers around the world for centuries.
When Tsar Alexander II asked Louis Roederer to make the finest champagne for him in 1876; the result was this vintage Cristal Brut Champagne. The Emperor got the best-reserved cuvée for every year and the world got an aromatic and bubbly drink.
Cristal Brut is made from the best harvest of mature Pinot Noir (60%) and Chardonnay (40%) grapes. There, it is aged for six years in the cellars and another eight months after the dégorgement process.
It has a silky smooth texture and a scented flavor of the white fruit and citrus notes. One fantastic fact about Cristal is that you can store it for more than twenty years and it won’t lose its rich flavor and characteristics!
Another interesting fact about Cristal is that it got its name from the classic flat-bottomed and transparent lead-crystal bottles. Even today, these bottles look exceptionally beautiful and are loved by connoisseurs around the world.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!3. Moët & Chandon Impérial
You can find the mention of Moët & Chandon in the lyrics of the greatest rockstars like Freddie Mercury or the greatest Hip-Hop artists like Notorious B.I.G. It has been the first choice of millions of wine lovers around the world, since the birth of the Moët & Chandon in 1743.
Imperial is a fine blend of more than a hundred different reserved wines. It is made from the finest mix of Pinot Noir, Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes of the year. All these especially stored wines and grapes from vineyards are combined in magical proportions that lead to this golden and green bubbly drink.
Moët and Chandon’s Imperial has the rich aromatic flavor of green apples and citrus fruits along with strong nuances of minerals. In every sip, you will find a splendid composition of white fruits and berries. For the same reasons, it is hailed as the best-tasting champagne in the world.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!4. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs
The story of the Taittinger Champagne goes way back to a thirteen-century emperor Thibaud IV in the region Champagne, France. He brought a new variety of grapes from his crusades which are called the forefathers of the modern Chardonnay grapes.
The Taittinger House was founded in Reims, France in 1734. Two hundred years later, Taittinger introduced its Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blanc- the perfect vintage champagne in the honor of Thibaud IV. It is the finest outcome of Taittinger House that comes out only after the special harvest years.
Comtes de Champagne is made entirely from the best Chardonnay grapes. It has a rich concoction of smooth texture, scents, and flavors of apple, apricot, and smoky minerals.
On a side note, Taittinger has been a part of the sophisticated culture for ages and you can find their mention in cult-classic movies to pop culture. This classic drink is an outstanding example of the finesse of their wine-making.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!5. Dom Pérignon Brut Champagne
Dom Pérignon is one of the most honorable champagnes and an obvious choice of wine-lovers. You can calculate its prestige from the fact that it was served in the royal wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles. What’s better than having the same drink that British royalty loved!
When the harvest is exceptionally great in a year, the grapes are chosen to blend into a vintage Dom Pérignon. It is made from the excellent varieties of Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes. Each bottle is stored for more than six years in cellars to attain that special status of being vintage.
The final champagnes have a mixed flavor of a variety of citrus, toasty brioche, and spice notes. Plus, with age, they take a seductive fresh-toast-and-coffee bouquet that is rare and one of the most glorious smells in champagnes.
One fascinating fact about Dom is that its inventor - Dom Pierre Pérignon, a seventeenth-century monk and cellar - was rumored to have invented Champagne. Even if he did not invent the champagne, the brand is truly one of the Pioneers of champagne making and their vintages are proof of their mastery.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!6. Laurent-Perrier Brut Cuvée Champagne Rosé N.V.
Laurent-Perrier has been an innovator of classic champagnes since 1812. So, how can they remain unmentioned on the list of the best champagne!
Their master cellars have defined the etiquette of champagne-making. There is no doubt that a Laurent-Perrier Brut has been the perfect partner for dates and parties for ages.
Champagnes are generally golden and sparkling in appearance but Rose Champagnes have this rosy and pinkish appearance that makes them exceptional. To get that red texture, Rose champagne is made either by leaving the juice of dark grapes with grape skins for a period or by mixing a small amount of red wine with white wine.
This Laurent-Perrier Rose Brut is made from the best Pinot Noir harvest. It is a creamy drink with scents of red berries, cherries, and citrus fruits. Along with that, your nose would get a subtle hint of nuts, roasted almonds, and brioche.
If you love Rose champagnes, this is going to be your favorite from now onwards.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!7. Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Aÿ Champagne N.V.
Even though the Bollinger House was founded in 1829, the history of their wine-making goes way back to the sixteenth century. The Special Cuvée Brut of Bollinger is the non-vintage specialty of this prestigious house.
Special Cuvée, like other classic vintages of the house, is a Pinot-dominated Brut that has exceptional longevity and flavor. It is a fine blend of Pinot noir (60%), Chardonnay (25%), and Pinot Meunier (15%) grapes from Bollinger’s vineyards.
They blend the Grapes of one year with reserved vintage wines and store it for at least five years in their oak barrels. The result is a creamy drink that is preferred by none-other-than James Bond himself.
It has a rich flavor of green apples, citrus fruits, along with scents of biscuits, brioche, and toast.
For a lot of connoisseurs around the world, Bollinger’s Special Cuvée is the best tasting champagne in the champagne world.
One crucial fact about the Special Cuvée is that unlike other champagnes that usually contain sulfites, it also contains sulfites, egg allergens, and milk allergens.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!8. Veuve Clicquot Brut
Veuve Clicquot has been serving the most loved champagnes since 1772. If you’re a literature lover, then you must know the mention of this vintage brand in the works of Alexander Pushkin, Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, and many other classics.
This brut is composed of reserve wines along with grapes from more than 50 to 60 vineyards. It has the signature composition of the Veuve Clicquot, i.e., the dominant Pinot Noir (50-55%), Chardonnay (28-33%), and Meunier (15-20%). This blend and the long aging gives the desired elegance and perfection to this champagne.
This silky-smooth, golden-yellow champagne has intense aromas of yellow and white fruits, vanilla, and toasty nuts. You can enjoy this royal pleasure with some seafood, fish tartar, salmon, or just pasta for an unforgettable experience.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!9. Perrier-Jouët Grand
Grand Brut defines love and just love. The origin story of the Grand Brut goes back to 1846 when a newlywed couple founded this honorable house of champagnes. Every bottle of Grand Brut is a representative of the historical companionship of Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose Adélaide Jouët.
Grand Brut is the champagne that established the expertise and prestige of the Perrier-Jouët House of champagnes. Thus, it is undoubtedly one of the best champagne in the world.
It is an ideal blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay grapes from the Perrier-Jouët vineyards. Each bottle is aged for a minimum period of three years and the outcome is an outstanding drink with small bubbles and delicate aromas.
The Grand Brut has fruity aromas of citrus fruits along with the hints of buttery brioche and vanilla. Serve this classic collection with chicken breast, young leeks, or grapefruit for maximum enjoyment.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!10. Billecart-Salmon Brut
Billecart-Salmon is one of the best French champagnes and has a terrific cult-following. The house is another prestigious Champagne house of France that came out as a marriage between Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon.
Brut Réserve is light champagne that has a fantastic blend of balance and elegance. It is made from a fine amalgamation of Pinot Noir, Meunier, and Chardonnay collected from the best cuts of Champagne. Wonderful composition and fine aging in the traditional cellars of the house give birth to this straw-yellow colored and bubbly cuvée.
It has an aroma of fresh pears and fruits along with the smoky toast and biscuits. If you’re looking for a perfect partner for your party or date, Billeart-Salmon is going to be your ideal companion.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!11. Pol Roger Réserve
Pol Roger is a name attached to the champagne love of the British Royalty, Queen Elizabeth II, and Sir Winston Churchill. It was the favorite champagne of Sir Churchill and the brand has equally reciprocated the love and affection towards Churchill, even after his death.
Réserve Brut is a non-vintage variety from Pol Roger. It is a unique combination of the three grape varieties in almost equal parts along with the reserved wines.
Every bottle is aged for years before coming to the sale and as a result, the champagne receives the signature golden-straw color and abundant bubbles.
Pol Roger Réserve Brut has fruity aromas of pears, mangoes, and light flavors of jasmine, vanilla, and hints of spicy Brioche notes. You can savor the elegance and splendid taste of this champagne as an apéritif, or accompany a whole meal with it.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!12. Pommery Royal Brut Champagne
Pommery Royal Brut is a rockstar among Champagnes and one of the bestsellers in the market. The reasons being, an exceptional flavor and the highest-quality grapes used in the wine-making process.
Pommery uses a lot of reserved wines along with an incredible mix of grapes to give an unparalleled taste to its Royal Brut. In addition to that, long aging gives the ideal time for the champagne to develop its best taste.
This pale-yellow colored champagne has initial notes of berries and fruits and a white bread flavor with hints of honey and nuts along with citrus fruits. It has. This Royal Brut is the perfect example of the right balance and harmony.
If you need a bubbly partner for any occasion, you should go for Pommery. It would complement the food and add a lot of prestige to your taste of wines.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!13. Lanson Black Label Champagne Brut
Lanson is another oldest house in the champagne world that has been serving the best champagne with their masterly skills since 1760. Lanson had been a constant supplier of champagnes to the British royalty in the late nineteenth century. The brand even displays a coat of arms of Queen Elizabeth II on its bottles.
The Black Label Brut has got its name from Victor Lanson who supplied Champagnes to the royal court of England. It has been a favorite among wine aficionados since its inception and is still a major hit.
Black Label is made after a flawless collection of the best wine grapes are collected from the finest Crus of the Champagne region. The fermented outcome is blended with several reserved vintage wines that already have more than twenty years of life and later, aged to develop the signature taste Lanson.
A stream of small bubbles in the clear champagne gives it an extraordinary look. Next, the honey notes, toasty aromas along with ripe fruits and citrus fruits make it one of the best champagnes in the world.
CHECK THE PRICE HERE!Factors To Consider While Choosing The Best Champagne
Champagne is no ordinary drink. It is a matter of pride, taste, and reputation. So, you have to be a bit conscious before choosing the best champagne for you.
To solve this confusion, there is a series of questions that you must ask yourself before you step-out for buying one bottle. If you will know the answers, you will get the best champagne for you.
Here are a few crucial points that you must follow to get the ideal product for you. :-
1. What Is A Champagne?
The first and most important fact that you must know as a wine-connoisseur is what exactly is a Champagne. The answer is a very simple one and can be summed up into a saying i.e., - All Champagnes are sparkling wines, but not all sparkling wines are Champagnes.
In easier words, champagne is an alcoholic beverage that is exclusively produced in the Champagne area of France. There may be other sparkling wines but you cannot call them champagnes unless they are made in the Champagne region.
Next, it is made only from the traditional Champagne grapes i.e., Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier grapes. They are combined, or used solely to form a classic.
Lastly, champagne is formed after the second fermentation in the bottle. Unlike other beverages, it goes through another round of fermentation and aging to get its superior taste and shining color.
2. What Taste Do You Prefer?
The next factor is how much sweetness do you prefer in your champagne. Many wine lovers like their champagnes infused with natural acidity and others like them a bit sweet and tender.
Champagnes are divided into three main categories based on their sweetness which are as follows -
- Brut Nature - With no added sugar, Brut Nature is a favorite of champagne lovers who prefer acidic kinds of Champagnes.
Extra Brut - Lower sugar values attract the sophisticated wine aficionados and gives the perfect elegance that one seeks in a bottle of champagne. - Brut - The most easily available champagne with a sweetness that manages the natural acid texture of champagnes.
3. What Are Your Favorite Grapes?
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier are the three traditional grapes used to make champagnes since the invention of the drink. On these combinations, champagnes are classified as-
- Blanc de Blanc - It is made by the white Chardonnay grapes only. It has citrus fruits like flavors and hints of minerals.
- Blanc de Noir - This champagne is made with red Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. Pinot Noir gives a body to the drink whereas Pinot Meunier adds floral notes and roundness to the champagne.
- Rosé - A Rosé is a Champagne that is pinkish and made by adding red wine into white wine or by keeping wine with grape skins for a period.
4. What Is The Age Of Champagne?
Aging gives champagne its exceptional taste and sets it apart from the rest of the varieties. They are stored for years before release to get an ideal balance of their natural acidity and complex flavors. Based on aging, champagnes fall under two categories which are as follows -
Non-vintage - The champagnes are aged for a minimum of fifteen months and are composed of grapes of the year’s harvest along with reserved wines.
Vintage - These wines have a particular year mentioned and have a special harvest of grapes as their primary ingredients. They are aged for at least three years and up to ten years before release.
5. What Are The Allergens?
Along with the above-mentioned factors, you must consider the ingredients before buying or serving a bottle of Champagne. Most of the Champagnes contain sulfites. Others might have different kinds of allergens.
So, be sure that the bottle you approach is not having an allergen or any other chemical harmful to you or others.
6. How Much Do You Want To Spend?
The last important factor is of course your budget. Champagnes are stated as highly costly but they are also available from the cost of tens of dollars to a whole fortune of money. So, you don’t need to worry about the expenditure if you have selected Champagne as the drink of the occasion.
From a decent one to prestigious and sophisticated ones, you’ll find an ideal bottle in your accessible range. Just remember rule no. one - all sparkling wines are not champagnes. Never settle for anything sparkling if you want to taste a glass of champagne only.
How To Serve A Champagne?
Serving bubbly champagne is no less than an art. If you seek perfection, you have to keep trying and learning from the mistakes. Champagne is a drink of colors, aromas, and flavors. If you won’t respect the characteristics of the vintage, you won’t get to enjoy its real taste.
Plus, champagne is worth a fortune at times, and not having the best taste would be a matter of regret. There are three levels of serving i.e., planning, opening, and pouring a bottle of champagne. Here is our complete guide on how to serve champagne.
1. Plan The Environment
Champagnes are not just regular whiskey that you enjoy after a hard-working day. They are classy and prestigious and need a flawless environment to taste the best.
Before you crack open the cork, make sure that the setting of the room or wherever you wish to serve is ideal. For instance, the temperature and smells of the room, and lastly, whether the lighting is adequate or not.
Champagnes have their sparkling color and a visible light would add extra points to its flavor if you will be able to see the stream of bubbles and its golden color.
2. Temperature
Champagnes are served cold to get their most integrated flavors (around 40-50°F). A low temperature might not let them spread their fresh aromas and a high temperature, on the other hand, would make them taste heavy and lead to an excess of foam.
Champagne might also have a mentioned particular temperature range that makes it taste the best. To have that, either store the bottle in an ice basket for half an hour or put it in the refrigerator for around four hours.
3. Food
For a particular meal, there is unique partner champagne. For example- a few champagnes are good with seafood and others are ideal for a saucy pasta. If you’re planning a party, look for the menu before buying your champagne collection.
4. Glasses
Champagne looks best in a sophisticated set of glasses. Before serving one, make sure that the glasses are well cleaned and nearby while opening the bottle so that you don’t have to run around with a foamy bottle.
5. Opening A Bottle
The next stage is obviously, opening a bottle. It takes time to become a master in cracking the cork and everyone has to go through a series of unsuccessful tries before becoming a champ.
To ensure that it does not give a black eye to your guest or become all messy, hold the bottle at 45 degrees in a safe direction. Now, remove the foil and loosen the wire cage with almost six half turns. Don’t forget to put a napkin on a bottle’s mouth.
Now, rotate the base of the bottle (not the cork) and wait for the whisper of the cork. Let the cork pop out smoothly by releasing the pressure and hold it to rest.
6. Pour
Pour wither by placing your thumb in the depression of the bottle or pour directly into a glass. Just make sure that there is no loss of bubbles by serving around an inch of the drink.
FAQs on Best Champagne
1. Is Champagne Wine?
Yes, it is a type of wine. Champagne might look and hail as something different than other wine varieties but it is made through the same process of fermentation of grapes from vineyards. It has a remarkable alcoholic content and is similar to other wines.
2. Do I Have To Age A Wine In My Refrigerator Before Having It?
Champagnes are already aged for years before their release. Vintage champagnes are even stored for ten to fifteen years to make them perfect for selling. It gives them their flawless aromas and complex taste.
Though a few wine enthusiasts like to age it on their own as well, you don’t have to necessarily wait for it. If you have a beautiful bottle, just open the cork and have the time of your life.
3. Can I Have Champagne While Being On Diet?
Champagnes, just like other alcoholic beverages are not highly recommended if you are on a strict diet. The exceptional quality of a few champagnes is that they do not have any sugar content at all. So, if you are wondering about having a drink, you can have it once in a while.
4. What Does Dry Champagne Mean?
Dry is the term used in the champagne world to denote the level of sweetness of a wine. The lesser the amount of residual sugar, the drier the champagne. For example - Brut and Extra Brut are dry champagnes because of low or almost zero sweetness in their composition.
Conclusion
Champagnes are the sparkling wines that turn every memorable occasion into a festivity. Their beautiful sparkling look, golden or yellowish color, and the stream of small bubbles can make your party the most memorable event of the time.
Champagnes are undoubtedly a prestigious and costly drink. If you are confused about which brand to buy or what is ideal for you, the best suggestion is -try and learn. Being a master would take time and you have to taste and try a lot of varieties before finding “the one” for you.
To sum up, you don’t have to let the price tag or a brand’s name steal your happiness of enjoying a bubbly, creamy sip of this magical French beverage. Read the aspects before buying one, pop the cork of the bottle, and raise a toast for life.