Champagne brands to buy: Over 100 vintage & non-vintage bottles rated

Scroll down to see the wines...

For this report on the best Champagne brands to buy, I tasted approximately 150 Champagnes both in the region and from samples sent in. My final selection of 102 includes 72 latest-release vintage Champagnes, spanning the years 1999 to 2015, plus 30 non-vintage Champagnes which represent the best that the region has to offer.

The Champagne region

Champagne is so well known as a symbol of celebration that we can forget that it is, above all, a wine produced under special conditions – a unique wine, rich in diversity and singularity. The region of Champagne and its three main towns, Reims, Epernay and Aÿ, are situated at the crossroads of two important old trade routes. This helped Champagne to become known in all the major European markets and to acquire its long-held reputation.

Located in the north-east of France, 30 miles east of Paris, the region is divided into various sectors extending over five French departments, forming a thin ribbon a few hundred metres wide. The largest part, nearly 66% of the region, is located in the Marne department. To the west, towards Paris, the departments of Aisne and Seine-et-Marne account for another 10%. To the south, the remaining 24% is spread over the departments of Aube and Haute-Marne.

Quick link: See all Champagne tasting notes & scores from this report – includes vintage and non-vintage Champagnes

The circumscribed region authorised to label its wines as Champagne was strictly defined by law in 1927, although it has expanded over time. In 2018, the appellation extended to 33,843 hectares of vines (22,467ha in the Marne, 8,018ha in the Aube and Haute-Marne, and 3,358ha in the Aisne and Seine-et-Marne). This 33,843ha area comprises 280,000 separate parcels of vines owned by 16,000 growers and 340 Champagne houses.

Champagne is divided into four main production areas, each one further divided according to the diversity of its terroirs as well as by viticultural practices and preferred grape variety:

Montagne de Reims

This is possibly an exaggerated description of a massif that culminates at an altitude of 300m. The vineyard area is located on the slopes of the Cote de l’Ile de France, forming an arc that links Reims and Épernay. It is home to some of Champagne’s finest Pinot Noir vineyards, planted on terroirs with predominantly chalky bedrock soils.

The Vallée de la Marne

Stretching from Epernay to the department of Seine-et-Marne is this vast territory of multiple terroirs, where the Marne River flows through a large valley. Limestone lies under a thick layer of clay at deeper and deeper levels as you head west. Pinot Meunier thrives in these geological conditions.

Côte des Blancs

Situated south of Epernay, its chalky soils make the Côte des Blancs the best place to plant Chardonnay, and 95% of the vineyard area is planted with this variety.

Côte des Bar

70 miles southeast of Epernay, the Côte des Bar is the principal vineyard area of the Aube department, lying on steep slopes with Kimmeridgian marl soils. This region has long been overshadowed by the three listed above, but a new generation of growers is revealing its potential for quality, making it one of the most interesting Champagne regions right now.

Each grape-growing village in Champagne is evaluated according to the quality of its terroir. Established in 1911, the Échelle des Crus system makes it possible to fix grape prices using a scale based on a simple rule: higher prices for better terroirs / villages. The 17 best villages are classified as ‘100%’ and grapes grown here qualify as ‘grand cru’, while 42 more villages classified between 90 and 99% are considered ‘premier cru’.

House styles & a sense of place

For years, Champagne viticulture was oriented more towards high production quantities than haute couture viticulture with lower volumes. With global warming and the emergence of cult winegrowers (Selosse, Egly-Ouriet and others), winemaking and viticultural techniques are evolving, and site-specific wines are gaining attention. A sense of place is now highlighted by many winegrowers as well as by an increasing number of Champagne houses, making Champagne one of the most interesting and dynamic regions in France.

However, it is the ‘house style’ philosophy – the interpretation of the winegrowers or chef de cave (cellar managers) – that is the soul of Champagne. All Champagnes have their own identities, based on the decisions made about the blend of grape varieties, the addition of reserve wines, whether to vinify in oak barrels, the level of dosage, how long to age the wines…the list goes on.

Champagne houses tend to promote their personal styles as interpreted by their chef de cave using a set framework depending on the year, while the smaller-sized wine grower will prefer to produce distinct cuvées from a single terroir or a single grape variety. The interest of Champagne comes from these multiple philosophies, resulting as they do in varied and sometimes completely original wines.

This eclecticism is reflected in the different styles of Champagne that can be produced: blanc de blancs are made exclusively from Chardonnay, while blanc de noirs are elaborated from Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier. Rosé Champagne is made in most instances by adding a small proportion of still red wine to the blend, although the saignée method is employed by some producers who favour a bolder style. Vintage champagne is made from the harvest of a single year, sometimes from more than one plot or terroir.

By far the highest production volume is that of non-vintage or ‘NV’ Champagne, elaborated using a variety of vintages, grapes and terroirs. NV bottlings are often the most affordable of a producer’s Champagnes, and can be appreciated as an aperitif or even with desserts, thanks to its fine, lively acidity.

Champagne vintages to look out for:

With new vintage Champagne releases in this report spanning nearly two decades (1999-2015 vintages), there are plenty of options for drinkers out there.

Look for 2007 Champagnes based on Chardonnay, and rosé for its depth and fine texture.

2008 is highly rated by almost everybody, combining concentrated fruit with brilliant acidity.

2009 is a powerful vintage that will be perfect for white meats.

2012, which produced magnificent Pinot Noir, is a gastronomic vintage.

Yohan’s pick of the best Champagne brands:

Billecart-Salmon

The Billecart family has made Champagne in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ since 1818. The Billecart-Salmon style is one of the purest, finest, and most brilliant of the whole region. Its Champagnes are particularly well suited to gastronomy.

Try: Billecart-Salmon, Clos St-Hilaire 2002

Philipponnat

Since 1999, Charles Philipponnat, the grand-nephew of founder Pierre, has been carrying out qualitative work that makes this house one of the most interesting in Champagne today.

Try: Philipponnat, La Remissonne 2009

Jacquesson

Jacquesson’s origins go back to 1798. After a long decline, the house was reborn in the 1970s when it was bought by the Chiquet family. It has since produced distinguished wines of great finesse and depth of character.

Try: Jacquesson, Avize Champ Caïn 2008

Olivier Bonville

Since 1900, the Franck Bonville house has been located in Oger in the Côte des Blancs sector. Today, Olivier Bonville is at the helm and produces lively, fresh Champagnes with remarkable aromatic complexity.

Try: Olivier Bonville, Les Belles Voyes 2012

Yohan’s top-rated vintage Champagnes:

94 points and above

See all 102 Champagne tasting notes & scores from this report

Yohan’s non-vintage Champagne reviews from this report are also included in The best non-vintage Champagnes to buy

See all 102 Champagne tasting notes & scores from this report

Champagne grape varieties

In most instances, Champagne is a blend of the three key permissible grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) sourced from diverse sites and from several different vintages. In the past, a number of grape varieties were planted in Champagne, but now the region focuses on just three:

Pinot Noir

The main grape variety, representing 38% of total plantings, Pinot Noir brings power and depth.

Pinot Meunier

Occupying 31% of the total vineyard area, Pinot Meunier produces round, fruity wines with balanced acidity.

Chardonnay

Accounting for 30% of total plantings, Chardonnay produces a floral, mineral style and very fine wines.

Pinot Blanc, Arbane and Petit Meslier are other varieties that are still authorised for Champagne production, but they are planted in tiny amounts.

Dosage by numbers

Doux: more than 50 g/l of residual sugar.

Demi-Sec: 32-50 g/l.

Sec or dry: 17-32 g/l.

Extra-Dry: 12-17 g/l.

Brut: 0-12 g/l.

Extra-Brut: 0-6 g/l.

Brut Nature / Non-Dosé / Brut-Zéro: No dosage, and with no more than 3g/l of residual sugar remaining from fermentation.

You may also like:

The best non-vintage Champagnes to buy

Champagne: Magnum Vs Bottle: Panel Tasting Results

Dom Pérignon 1990-2009: ‘The mother of all DP tastings’