Champagne Day takes place on October 23, 2020. In honor of this day of celebrating all things champagne I have put together this list of great champagnes to celebrate with. These champagnes are the best to drink to celebrate a day made to highlight champagne.
I have made a list of NV Brut champagne, Blanc de Blancs champagne, , Rosé champagne and Grower champagne. If you have had these leave a comment with what you enjoyed most. I would love to hear what you are celebrating with! Also follow me on Instagram as I will have my followers choose which champagne I should sabre on Champagne Day. Cheers!
BRUT CHAMPAGNES (NV)
Charles Heidsieck NV Reserve - This a Reservé Brut as there is a high proportion of reserve wines used in the NV. The reservé wines add complexity to the bottle and this champagne is a great value for what you are paying for. The reserves are between 5 and 20 years old - some of the oldest reserves used for a NV brut. This is going to add structure and body to the mouthfeel. There is more substance to this champagne and has a strong character. This champagne takes its time in the cellars which includes the chalk caves from the Roman period. This champagne offers complexity, voluptuous on the nose with notes of freshly baked brioche. It is one of the most versatile when it comes to food pairings. This champagne is 40% Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and 20% Meunier. Buy it here.
Champagne Taittinger LaFrancaiseNV - This champagne is elegant and floral and is made with a higher proportion of Chardonnay (40%), giving it crisp citrus and white flower notes. I get white blossom and lemon with a hint of honey. There is also apple, pear and stone fruit. You also get the toasty lees throughout the nose and the palate. It is a pure, fresh and well-structured Brut that seems more elegant, complex and round. This champagne has a lighter body. This is one of my go to champagnes as it is an incredible value and is a crowd pleaser. Buy it here.
Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut - This champagne is another incredible value and it is the only champagne to make Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wine List in 2019. The brut is bright and fresh with yeasty notes, stone fruits, a hint of brioche and subtle minerality, it's clean and fresh. The bubbles are lively and dance in the glass. It is a classic, well-structured, and fruit forward champagne. This champagne was loved by both Marie Antoinette and Marilyn Monroe (who reportedly not only drank it but took baths in it). Buy it here.
Champagne Lanson Green Label - This champagne is made from 100% organic grapes. The blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Meunier is exclusively sourced from an estate vineyard at Verneuil, in the heart of the Marne Valley. This champagne is made in the no- malo style that Lanson keeps as it was the traditional way of making champagne and the house was one of the first champagne house in champagne. By not having malo, there will be an intense acidity however it is balanced by ripe white fruits: pears and apples. There is some noted citrus (lemon sings) and some brioche notes as well to round it out.
Billecart-Salmon Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs - I absolutely love this champagne made from Grand Crus from the Côte des Blancs with an emphasis on Avize - chalk , mineral and citrus! I love the fine delicate bubbles and I love a Blanc de Blancs with fried food (and Global Champagne Day is on #FrenchFryday! There is a fine elegance and finesse throughout this champagne which is a signature of the house. The minerality really shines through and this is a light body champagne that goes down very easily! It is also makes for the perfect apertif.
Louis Roederer Vintage Blanc de Blancs - This is a pure and bright wine that focuses on a single vintage year. The grapes come form the Côte des Blancs and you can almost taste the chalk soils with each sip. The minerality of the terroir shines through! White blossoms including acacia. There is also some nutty notes that come from the 5 years of aging in the cellars. You will also get some hints of brioche.
Champagne Henriot Blanc de Blancs - This is a pure expression of the chardonnay grape which 70 -80% come from premier and grand cru fruit. A high percentage of reserve wines (40%) are used to add structure and depth to this champagne. It is still light and refreshing with aromas of brioche, citrus, and a linear acidity. Stone fruits and fresh pastry also shine through. This NV is aged 4-5 years in the cellars.There is an intensity that makes this perfect on its own or with your favorite sashimi or my favorite - french fries and caviar.
Laurent Perrier Cuvée Rosé - This is a go to rosé champagne for me no matter the season. Laurent Perrier created this rosé in 1968 and it is one of the few rosé champagnes that is 100% Pinot Noir - which is especially unique coming from a chardonnay focused champagne house. This is made slightly different than the saignée method - it is a very cold maceration in order to ensure you are only getting the color and intensity of the flavors. Buy it here.
Champagne Henriot Rosé 2012- is full of strawberries and minerality. It is made from both Grand and Premier Cru fruit and is 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir (less than 10% still is added to the blend). Will continue to develop with cellaring. It pairs perfectly as a pool side aperitif and will stand up to hearty fall dishes such as grilled salmon. Buy it here.
Pommery Brut Royal Rosé - This is a pale pink with a hint of salmon with some nice citrus and red fruit notes (I got raspberry) Veuve Pommery created the Brut style of champagne as we know it today to appeal to her English consumers. The house was founded in Reims in 1868. And the maison is a pretty light blue. Madame Pommery absolutely loved the color blue Buy it here.
THE GROWER CHAMPAGNES
Pierre Peters Blanc de Blancs - This family owned house has been producing Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs since 1919 from the Côte des Blancs. The champagne is vibrant and fragrant with floral and mineral accents. There are hints of tropical fruit, nuttiness and a touch of citrus. The attention to detail shines through and this is a light, refreshing mineral rich champagne. Buy it here.
Pierre Gimonnet Special Club - Special clubs champagnes were founded in 1971 and it is a group of terroir focused growers who create champagnes of character and distinction. A Special Club Must pass 2 blind tastings at the still wine stage and after minimum 3 years in bottle. There are currently 28 members who are part of the Spécial Club and Pierre Gimonnet is one of them. He has three Spécial Clubs which all focus on one single village in the Côte des Blancs - this one pictured is from the Grand Cru village of Chouilly. The champagne has a great acidity and minerality. It is an excellent champagne and I can not wait to try all of the Spécial Clubs! You can find this champagne at fine wine stores. There is a limited production so if you are able to get your hands on one you definitely should purchase it!
The Wild Card
Champagne Gremillet Clos Rocher - This grower champagne was above and beyond my expectations.... in the best way! It was so light, fresh and elegant and so easy to enjoy - I wish I had another bottle as I could drink this all day long! This champagne is from the walled vineyard or Clos with the name Rocher which means rocky it is within Aube department which is the southernmost part of the Champagne region. It is a 100% Pinot Noir champagne and the vineyards face south and southeast which maximizes sun exposure which is needed in the cool continental climate of Champagne. This is from the best grapes with the greatest ability to ripen. The packaging with the string pays homage to the past while the attention to detail is mastered. There are less than 3,000 bottles produced. All of the champagne is produced from the first press (the cuvée) which is the finest juice. It is pale lemon with lemon, apple, a hint of raspberries and brioche notes. It is crisp, elegant and has fine bubbles.