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Champagne wine region
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The benchmark for sparkling wine.
The benchmark for many wine styles, organized by appellation (AOC).
Notable producers in Champagne
- Krug
- Louis Roederer
- Bollinger
- Veuve Clicquot
- Taittinger
Official appellations
| Appellation | Status | Style | Grapes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champagne (1936) Only sparkling wine from this region, made by second fermentation in bottle, may be called Champagne. Non-vintage needs at least 15 months in the cellar, vintage three years. | AOC | Sparkling | Champagne (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier) |
Champagne wines to try
Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial
Champagne · Champagne (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier)
Bright and easy: green apple, citrus and a little brioche.
Food: Canapés, fried snacks
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut
Champagne · Champagne (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier)
Full and toasty: baked apple, walnut and brioche from Pinot Noir and oak.
Food: Roast chicken, aged cheese
Krug Grande Cuvée
Champagne · Champagne (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier)
A blend of many years: hazelnut, honey, citrus and fine, lasting bubbles.
Food: Lobster, Parmesan
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut
Champagne · Champagne (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier)
Pinot-led and full: apple, brioche, vanilla and a creamy mousse.
Food: Oysters, fried chicken, canapés
Pommery Brut Royal
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Fresh, Chardonnay-led house style: citrus, white flowers and a light, crisp finish.
Food: Oysters, canapés
Pommery Brut Apanage 1874
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
A rounder, more gastronomic Pommery: ripe pear, brioche and hazelnut.
Food: Poultry, white fish
Pommery Apanage Blanc de Blancs
Pure Chardonnay Pommery: lemon, white flowers and chalky freshness.
Food: Scallops, sushi
Pommery Brut Rosé Royal
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Delicate pink Pommery with red berries and a crisp, dry finish.
Food: Salmon, red berries
Pommery Apanage Brut Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Fuller rosé with wild strawberry, citrus peel and gentle toast.
Food: Duck, tuna
Pommery Grand Cru Brut
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Vintage blend from grand cru villages only: depth, toast and fine acidity.
Food: Lobster, chicken in cream
Pommery Cuvée Louise
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Pommery's prestige cuvée: refined, layered, with honey, almond and long minerality.
Food: Langoustine, caviar
A. Levasseur Extrait Gourmand
Champagne · Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Grower Champagne from the Marne: generous, fruity and gently toasty.
Food: Gougères, chicken
A. Levasseur Extrait Gourmand Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Grower rosé with ripe red fruit and a soft, creamy mousse.
Food: Charcuterie, salmon
Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs
Rich, creamy Chardonnay Champagne with citrus, brioche and nutty depth.
Food: Turbot, scallops
Charles Heidsieck Rosé Réserve
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Vinous rosé with red fruit, spice and toasty reserve wines.
Food: Duck, lamb
Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Light, Chardonnay-rich house style: citrus, white peach and finesse.
Food: Aperitif, oysters
Devaux Cuvée D Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Côte des Bar rosé with ripe red berries, spice and a long finish.
Food: Salmon, charcuterie
Ayala Rosé Majeur
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Fresh, low-dosage rosé: redcurrant, citrus and a crisp, dry finish.
Food: Sushi, prawns
Ayala Blanc de Blancs
Vintage Chardonnay Champagne with lemon, chalk and precise, low-dosage style.
Food: Oysters, sole
Gosset Grand Rosé Brut
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Fresh, fruit-driven rosé from Aÿ's oldest house: strawberry and citrus.
Food: Salmon, red fruit desserts
Gosset Celebris Rosé Extra Brut
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Gosset's prestige rosé: dry, complex, with dried red fruit and spice.
Food: Pigeon, lobster
Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Bright, fruity rosé: wild strawberry, cherry and a soft mousse.
Food: Salmon, berries
Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
The vintage Moët: riper fruit, toast and more depth than the NV.
Food: Chicken, scallops
Bollinger Rosé Brut
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Pinot-rich, vinous rosé with red fruit, spice and Bollinger's toasty depth.
Food: Duck, salmon
Bollinger PN (Pinot Noir series)
Blanc de Noirs from a named Pinot Noir village each edition (TX, VZ, AYC): powerful and vinous.
Food: Roast chicken, veal
Bollinger La Grande Année
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Barrel-fermented vintage Bollinger: rich, nutty, toasty and long.
Food: Lobster, truffle
Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Recently disgorged Grande Année, aged long on lees: deep, complex and dry.
Food: Caviar, aged Comté
Bollinger La Côte aux Enfants Rouge
Champagne · Coteaux Champenois · Pinot Noir
Rare still red Pinot Noir from a single Aÿ slope: fine, red-fruited and silky.
Food: Roast quail, salmon
Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Floral, fruity rosé with red berries and a delicate texture.
Food: Salmon, prawns
Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Floral, finely balanced prestige cuvée in the famous anemone bottle.
Food: Langoustine, sole
Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque Rosé
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Elegant prestige rosé: red berries, citrus and white flowers.
Food: Lobster, duck
Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Brut Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Opulent rosé in the metal-clad bottle: ripe red fruit and a creamy finish.
Food: Celebrations, red fruit
Louis Roederer Vintage Brut
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Pinot-led vintage Roederer: ripe, structured and toasty.
Food: Poultry, veal
Louis Roederer Vintage Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Vintage rosé from Cumières Pinot: delicate red fruit and freshness.
Food: Salmon, duck
Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs
Vintage Chardonnay from Avize: creamy, citrus and chalky.
Food: Scallops, crab
Louis Roederer Cristal
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Roederer's prestige cuvée: pure, precise, layered and very long.
Food: Caviar, langoustine
Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
The rare pink Cristal: silky red fruit, citrus and remarkable finesse.
Food: Lobster, pigeon
Henriot Brut Souverain
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Chardonnay-led house blend: citrus, white flowers and brioche.
Food: Aperitif, oysters
Henriot Brut Rosé Millésimé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Vintage rosé with red fruit, citrus and mature toast.
Food: Duck, salmon
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Taittinger's prestige rosé: intense red fruit, spice and silky texture.
Food: Lamb, lobster
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Pinot-dominated prestige rosé: deep red fruit and toasty complexity.
Food: Duck, venison
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Pale, elegant classic rosé: strawberry, citrus and fine bubbles.
Food: Salmon, sushi
Billecart-Salmon Louis Salmon Blanc de Blancs
Vintage grand cru Chardonnay: citrus, brioche and great finesse.
Food: Lobster, sole
Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas François
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Billecart's prestige vintage: structured, toasty and long-lived.
Food: Turbot, poultry
Dom Pérignon Brut
Champagne · Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Moët's prestige vintage only: smoky, toasty, creamy and very long.
Food: Caviar, scallops
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Millésimé
Vintage Le Mesnil Chardonnay (Salon's sister house): taut, chalky and citrus.
Food: Oysters, langoustine
Salon Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs
Single-village, single-grape icon made only in great years: intense, mineral and very long-lived.
Food: Caviar, turbot
Krug Rosé
Champagne · Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Deep, spicy rosé with Krug's richness: red fruit, citrus peel and toast.
Food: Lamb, tuna
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