10 Exceptional Bottles from Champagne

Moët & Chandon: Grand Vintage Brut

The house of Moët & Chandon, founded by Claude Moët in 1743, has become the best-known brand of champagne in the world. It sets the standard, whether as the champagne for a special celebration or as an aperitif to be enjoyed on a terrace in summer. But few suspect the quality of the vintages that the house holds in its cellars, wines that have made history in Champagne. The talents of its winemakers, Benoît Gouez first and foremost among them, confer upon the house its enduring luster.

Dom Pérignon

Pierre Pérignon is considered to be the father of champagne. The cuvée prestige bearing his name was created long ago by Moët & Chandon as a tribute to him, and the global success of this iconic name is beyond dispute. The 1928 Dom Pérignon Vintage is a trophy wine. Like the 1929, 1959 and 1961 vintages, the 1928 has played a role in forging Champagne’s legendary reputation. This is an unforgettable bottle, full of great wisdom: in a word, immortal. The nose unfurls aromas of damp earth, the cool, moist air of the wine cellar, black truffle, coffee and gentian. Like great Burgundies, the 1928 maintains an equilibrium of flavors strung along a fine thread in utter harmony. Despite its age, it has energy, with a finish marked by a lively persistence. An ideal champagne to contemplate at the end of a meal in good company.

Krug Collection: Brut 

Uniting strength, complexity and depth, this 1928 vintage cannot be ignored. A collector’s item, it enriches the cellars of the world’s aficionados. Krug captivates with its balance and power. Some might think that a wine this powerful would fall prey to oxidation. Nothing of the kind: This is a cuvée that lifts us to a higher level. Notes of licorice, salted caramel, tonka bean and black pepper accompany smoke and hazelnut. In the mouth, the wine is ample and chewy, and the finish is substantial but silky, too. For a peak experience, pair it with venison accompanied by sauce grand veneur, or perhaps a charlotte of Comté cheese with black truffles.

Bollinger: R.D. Extra Brut

In 1837, Jacques Bollinger married the daughter of his partner Athanase de Villermont, with whom he shared ten hectares (twenty-five acres) of vineyard in Aÿ. It is to Jacques that we owe the property’s development and the ingenious idea of selling champagne récemment dégorgé, an approach uniting freshness with the complex flavors that come from long aging. R.D. is a cuvée prestige made in great years, with a low dosage and prolonged supplementary aging on the lees. R.D. is vinified and aged in oak casks, and secondary fermentation takes place “on the cork.”

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin: Cave Privée Rosé Brut  

A pacesetter and a powerhouse, Veuve Clicquot is one of many companies that contribute to promoting the region’s art de vivre worldwide. Thanks to its bright-yellow packaging, a bottle of Veuve Clicquot is immediately recognizable. Beyond its non vintage Yellow Label Brut, the house has made a name for itself with such cuvées prestige as the Grande Dame, especially the 1990 vintage, as well as the Cave Privée Collection, which includes this rosé. This 1979 is sublime, with notes of raspberry gelée and black pepper and a silky caress on the palate.

Laurent-Perrier: Cuvée Grand Siècle Alexandra Rosé Grands Crus Brut

The house of Laurent-Perrier dates to 1812, but it was under the direction of Bernard de Nonancourt (1920–2010) that its reputation shot up. Laurent-Perrier’s white cuvée prestige, Grand Siècle (Great Century), is one of the few non vintage cuvées prestige in all of Champagne. The rosé is named after Alexandra and comes from a single harvest. The 1982 Grand Siècle Alexandra Roséboasts a perfect equilibrium. The red and white grapes macerate together, and the wine enjoys long cellar aging, enabling the cépages to express the elegance of their terroir.

Dom Pérignon: Vintage Plénitude P3 Rosé Brut

While Dom Pérignon may no longer constitute Moët & Chandon’s highest achievement, the brand maintains its own identity. The Plenitude series is an ingenious idea for defining the age of a champagne, comparing its cellaring process to the stages of a human life. The 1985 P3 Rosé stands between a P2 and a P3, a mature wine capable of evolving further. The partridge-eye-pink robe paves the way for notes of vanilla, red currant, cep mushroom and raspberry gelée. The wine is silky, poetic. Enjoy it with a fine Spanish ham, such as a jamón ibérico de bellota.

Pommery: Cuvée Louise Grands Crus Brut

Madame Louise Pommery was a bold innovator in Champagne, and this cuvée prestige accordingly bears her name. The Cuvée Louise is made from the coeur de cuvée (first pressing) of grapes sourced from grand cru vineyards in Avize, Cramant and Aÿ: 60 percent chardonnay and 40 percent pinot noir. The wine is aged on the lees for up to seven years, and the result is an ethereal lightness. The wine offers notes of stone, honey and orange-zest confit.

Charles Heidsieck: Blanc des Millénaires Blanc de Blancs Brut

This blanc de blancs represents five of the magnificent crus on the Côte des Blancs: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger. The cuvée is produced in great years and aged at least ten years on the lees. The first was made in 1983 and released ten years later. It has since been reprised rarely, notably in 1985 and 1990. This champagne offers a robe of a golden yellow, with an effervescence. The nose is elegant, with notes of fern and linden blossom. On the palate, the wine’s attack is delicate yet full and silky, before revealing notes of nectarine and almond, then signing off with a chalky finish. A bottle to enjoy throughout a meal.

Perrier-Jouët: Belle Époque Blanc de Blancs Brut

Perrier-Jouët was founded in 1811 by Pierre Perrier and his wife, Adèle Jouët. The Belle Époque bottle, created in 1902 and rediscovered in the cellars in the 1960s, has made Champagne history with its unique look, identifiable among hundreds of champagnes. This cuvée has been expanded to include a blanc de blancs version made with chardonnay from a single vintage, which must always be first-rate. This 2002 offers a golden robe, a subtle nose and a delicate palate. Thanks to its aging, the vintage offers expressive notes of pineapple, chalk and linden blossom. In the mouth, the wine opens fresh and broad, with a silky feel.