Words by Helena Nicklin
Champagne: in victory, you deserve it; in defeat, you need it, so Napoleon Bonaparte famously said. I think we can all agree that 2020 has been that kind of year. At 3D towers, we’ve all learned to keep a bottle or three around for emergency moments of celebration and commiseration and boy, there have been a lot of both! The good news is however, that we are now perfectly placed to recommend some brilliant bubbles for every budget.
What makes a great champagne?
Not all champagne is created equal. That magic word on the bottle does not necessarily mean the wine is going to knock your socks off. There are a lot of weedy, overly tart champagnes out there that can be pretty hard to drink and have you reaching for some cheese or bread to tame the acidic burn. A good champagne does not have to cost the earth if it’s beautifully made though; when the acidity levels are balanced with weighty, leesy, brioche notes and perfectly judged sweetness levels (dosage). At the other end of the financial scale, if you’re willing to spend a bit more (ok, a lot more), then champagne is one of those wines that can transcend being merely a nice drink. At the risk of sounding like a pretentious wine snob, it becomes an experience in itself. It IS the event. I’m talking about those champagnes made only in years when the climate decided to look kindly on the grapes, which were then vinified and blended with painstaking passion before being aged to perfection and only released at the ideal moment for us mere mortals to enjoy them. These champagnes are on another level, with different complexities and flavours in every sip and with every degree change in temperature. After the year we’ve all had, surely, just occasionally, they are the only bottles that will do! If you cannot go out, splash out. Here are some champagnes for every budget and occasion that are well worth seeking out:
Crazy Value
Veuve Monsigny Champagne, NV
This champagne no longer seems to be the wine trade’s best kept secret but it’s still for sale, so go get in there while you can! With grapes sourced by Philizot & Fils, this is a blend of all three champagne grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier) that’s had some ageing time to add extra complexity. Full of flavour and easy to drink, it really punches above its price tag.
Best for: Every day celebrations and parties when you need to buy in bulk.
Find it at Aldi here for £12.49.
Champagne ‘Les Pionniers’ Brut NV
Another badly kept secret is Co-op’s own brand of Champagne, which is made by a well-known house that while Co-op can’t officially say who it is, everyone else says it’s Piper-Heidseck. Creamy and weighty with notes of yellow apple and those much sought-after brioche notes, for under £20 it’s a fantastic buy and a great bottle to have on hand for those emergencies.
Find it at Co-op for £19 here.
A step up for gourmets
Pommery Apanage Blanc de Blancs
Blanc de Blancs when referring to champagne means that the wine is made from 100% Chardonnay; the only white grape used in champagne. This is a rich, creamy wine with subtle, jasmine and white blossom aromas, citrus notes and an understated complexity that comes from seven years of bottle ageing before release. Finishing dry, it’s a fantastic pairing for umami food like truffles and comté cheese. One for a posh dinner, for sure.
Find it here at Champagne Direct for £55
Billecart Salmon Brut Sous Bois
There's something special about Sous Bois, which literally means ‘under wood’ in French. Here’s a champagne vinified entirely in oak, which while quite unusual now, was how champers always used to be made. While not tasting oaky, it has a caramel-scented opulence and notes of dried fig and apricot with a butter-velvet texture. Too good! A wine that can handle many dishes, from creamy, fish sauces to earthier dishes like roast lamb or guinea fowl.
Find it here at Champagne Direct for £66
Bollinger La Grande Année 2012
Bolly is a much loved champagne house not just for it’s 007 affiliations, but for its gorgeous rich and toasty bubbles. The Grand Année is their premium wine and the 2012 is opulent even by Bollinger’s standards, with the wine boasting a creamy mousse, with ripe notes of orchard fruit, brioche and white flowers on the nose. Try it with fleshy seafood like lobster or white meats. It would also be a wonder with hard, nutty cheeses.
Find it here at Laithwaites for £95
Seriously special
Dom Pérignon 2010
There’s a good reason why Dom Pérignon is arguably the most famous champagne for quality (rather than bling) in the world; it’s because it’s incredible. DP only make ‘vintage’ wines with grapes from one, good year, rather than non vintage blends. Purity and precision are the key words for these wines, where the character of each parcel of vines is known intimately by the producers. This 2010 is still very young but has body and depth, with notes of smoky pineapple, brioche, flint, guava and citrus. Start this cool and let it slowly warm up in your glass to experience to full effect.
Find it here at The Finest Bubble for £148
Krug Rosé 24eme Edition
Super rare, a bottle of Krug rosé is something to cherish. The 24ème Édition from Krug is a very distinctive rosé champagne with spicy, red apple skin notes from the Pinot Noir, enough grip to make this a foodie wine and a beautiful aroma of fresh, raspberry baked pastries. Krug is known for blending their wine in between years but not in a ‘non vintage’ way; more of a multi vintage, taking advantage of their incredible stock of reserve wines to build up the wine like a painter on his canvas. Again, try it cool and let it warm up to get the full effect and flavour.
Find it here are Clos19.com for £275
Read more about the stories of Krug and Dom Pérignon here.