The best Champagne to sip on to get yourself into the party spirit this season
There’s nothing quite like a glass of the best Champagne (or several) to get you into the party spirit. I don’t know about anyone else, but I could certainly do with a hand in that department. This time of year always has me feeling sluggish and tired, so anything to pep me up is greatly appreciated. I like to think of myself as somewhat of a Champagne connoisseur, but realistically I just know what I do and don’t like. Champagne, unfortunately for my purse, is one of my favourite tipples.
This year, to make up for last year’s lack of festivities, I have a million Christmas dinners, drinks and events to attend. So, alongside all the party dresses, Christmas gifts and Christmas hampers I’ll be stocking up on, I’ll be needing twice as many bottles of the best Champagne. My question is: from which brand?
How do you pick a good Champagne?
As previously stated, I’m no expert, I just have preferences. My naive self would tend to believe that the more expensive the bottle of Champagne the better it will taste - but I know from experience that that’s not strictly true. When it comes to choosing your bubbly, apply your knowledge of wine to the process. If you prefer dryer wines then go for something like a Brut, or if sweeter is better for you then opt for a Rosé Champagne.
The key is in the bubbles and colour: the lighter the colour, the younger the Champagne; the less bubbles, the smoother the taste. It’s also a wise idea to get to know the difference between Champagne and sparkling wine or Prosecco. A sparkling wine is exactly what it says on the tin: wine that’s bubbly, Prosecco is a sparkling wine from Italy, and Champagne refers to sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region in France that is made according to the 'methode champenoise' guidelines.
What is the best Champagne?
It really does come down to your own personal taste, but some of the most popular brands of Champagne (in no particular order) are as follows:
- Dom Pérignon
- Veuve Clicquot
- Taittinger
- Laurent-Perrier
- Bollinger
- Ruinart
- Telmont
- Joseph Perrier
- Armand de Brignac
- Krug
- Billecart-Salmon
- The Rothschild Collection
- Henriot
- Ayala
- Louis Roederer
- Harvey Nichols
- Harrods
- Nicolas Feuillatte
For more from GLAMOUR UK’s Associate Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.
Grab a couple of glasses and get ready to celebrate, our round-up of the best Champagne can be found below.
Best Champagne: Dom Perignon 2010
Dom Pérignon Champagne Vintage 2010 75cl, £175, Harrods
Enhanced by the freshness of aniseed and crushed mint, the final aromas of this Champagne linger on the nose with spicy, roasted notes. Its fruitiness is pronounced and clear, while its persistence makes it a luxurious accompaniment to any celebration or special occasion.
Champagne Gifts: Brut
Taittinger Brut NV Champagne & Glasses Gift Set 75cl, £50, John Lewis
A stylish and sophisticated drink with light citrus and brioche characters. Three years ageing in Taittinger's cellars adds a roundness and weight to this supremely elegant Brut Champagne.
Save when you shop for the best Champagne with these John Lewis discount codes.
Best Champagne: Ace of spades Champagne
Armand de Brignac Brut Gold Champagne 75cl, £295, Harrods
The first release from Armand de Brignac, the Ace of Spades Brut Gold remains the most iconic cuvée in the range. It has a vibrant, fresh fruit character with layers of complexity and a striking bouquet of lively floral notes. Creamy in texture and full-bodied in depth.
Best Champagne: Moet&chandon
Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial N.V Jeroboam Champagne 300cl, £350, Fortnum & Mason
Brut Imperial is the world's best-selling Champagne - a delicious blend of approximately 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier and 15% Chardonnay. Lively and expressive, the Champagne's dominating Pinot Noir adds a full-bodied, wild strawberry fruit touch.
Best Champagne: Laurent Perrier Rose
Laurent-Perrier Brut Cuveé Rosé Champagne 75cl, £75, John Lewis
Using only Pinot Noir from grand cru villages and the more unusual soak-on-the-skins method, this Champagne has delicious raspberry and redcurrant fruit flavours with a subtle brioche finish.
Save when you shop for the best Champagne with these John Lewis discount codes.
Best Champagne: Cheap Champagne
Nicolas Feuillatte Travel Bag Rose NV Champagne 75cl, £35, John Lewis
This Champagne is a delicately nuanced liquid, bursting with red summer fruit flavours. A delicious cavalcade of redcurrant, blueberry and raspberry notes combine with a hint of wild strawberries.
Best Champagne
Limited Edition Dom Pérignon x Lady Gaga Brut 2010 Champagne 750ml, £190, Selfridges
Two world-renowned names have partnered up for the release of a limited-edition Champagne, a 2010 Brut that is luminous with tropical fruits, citrus and delicate peony. It’s signed off with a ripple-effect label that nods to the fluidity of expression.
Selfridges discount codes will save you money on the best Champagne.
Champagne gifts
Champagne Bollinger Rose with 2x Glasses 75cl, £95, John Lewis
Bronze tones combine with intense depths of flavour when it comes to this Champagne. Hints of red currant, cherry and wild strawberry are present, alongside bubbles as fine as velvet.
Cheap Champagne
Champagne Vintage 2009 75cl, £50, Harrods
Harrods' Champagne boasts complex aromas laced with white flowers and brioche, beautifully enhanced by partial oak ageing. Crisp and clean on the palate with voluptuous body, it reveals layers of elegant fruit with a generous lengthy finish.
Best Champagne
Ayala Brut Majeur Champagne NV Magnum 1500ml, £80, Harvey Nichols
Ayala Brut Majeur is a pristine and stylish blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, and is also the perfect introduction to this historic house. Freshness and elegance is the name of the game with this non-vintage Champagne.
Don't forget to use our Harvey Nichols discount codes when you buy a bottle of the best Champagne!
Best Champagne
Krug Champagne 2006 75cl, £275, Harrods
Celebrating the year’s distinctive character, this expressive vintage presents itself with an intense golden colour that promises round generosity. The delights continue with an indulgent nose of dried fruit and toasted almonds which offer depth and aromatic persistence on the palate.
Best Champagne: Veuve Clicquot Brut
Veuve Clicquot Limited Edition Brut NV Champagne with Personalised Tin 75cl, £59.99, Selfridges
Scan the accompanying QR code of this personalised tin to be taken to the "So Retro" playlist, so you can whistle away to some good music while enjoying the Champagne's notes of rich fruit and toasty brioche.
Selfridges discount codes will save you money on the best Champagne.
Best Champagne
Premier Cru Brut Champagne NV Magnum 1500ml, £65, Harvey Nichols
An exclusive blend consisting predominantly of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this perennial favourite is produced for Harvey Nichols by the long established Champagne House of Lombard & Medot. This magnum size format is perfect for enjoying at special occasions and parties.
Don't forget to use our Harvey Nichols discount codes when you buy a bottle of the best Champagne!
Best Champagne: Pink Champagne
Telmont Rosé NV Champagne 75cl, £54.99, Selfridges
Century-old champagne house Telmont is converting its vineyards to support organic production, determined to have less of an impact on the earth - and 12 hectares are already running under biodynamic cultivation. This Champagne features a redcurrant palate and is layered with red berries, citrus and subtle minerals.
Selfridges discount codes will save you money on the best Champagne.
Best Champagne
Collection 242 Champagne MV 75cl, £52, Harvey Nichols
Expect notes of baked apple, bread dough, lemon meringue pie, apricot, greengage, pear and spring blossom, followed by almond croissant, festive gingerbread, toast and a sorbet of blackberries and raspberries.
Best Champagne: Cheap Champagne
Joseph Perrier NV Brut Champagne 75cl, £36, Harrods
Aged for a minimum of three years in total quiet and stability, the NV Brut Champagne is delicate and complex with subtle fruity notes. It's fresh and full of life with a round finish.
Best Champagne
Billecart-Salmon Champagne 2009 75cl, £75, Harrods
A deeply sculpted cuvée that celebrates the region’s best Pinot Noir flavours alongside the elegance of Chardonnay and a signature touch of Pinot Meunier, this 2009 Champagne from Billecart-Salmon promises an exquisite drinking experience.
Pink Champagne
The Rothschild Collection Champagne Barons de Rothschild Rosé NV 75cl, £72, Harvey Nichols
Champagne Barons de Rothschild Rosé is like bottled springtime. Strawberries, rose petals, lemon zest, chamomile, honey on toast, fresh cream, raspberry sorbet combine and complement a long, mineral, almost Chablis-esque finish.
Don't forget to use our Harvey Nichols discount codes when you buy a bottle of the best Champagne!
Best Champagne
Ruinart Blanc de Blanc NV Champagne 1.5l, £160, Selfridges
The house of Ruinart is well known for the quality of its champagnes and the Blanc de Blancs NV Champagne is no exception - in fact, it’s one of the estate's icons. The persistent bubbles release an essence of fresh fruit, citrus, white florals, peach and pineapple.
Selfridges discount codes will save you money on the best Champagne.
Fortnum and Mason Champagne: Cheap Champagne
Brut Réserve Champagne Gift Box 75cl, £39.50, Fortnum & Mason
The Brut Réserve is a blend of the three classic grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. The dominance of black varieties offers roundness and complexity, while the Chardonnay provides elegance and freshness, and there is a toasty brioche note on the finish.
Champagne Gifts
Henriot Blanc de Blancs Champagne NV & Flutes Gift Set 75cl, £59.50, Harvey Nichols
Blended with just a little of Henriot's prestige Cuve 38 Champagne, this Champagne is aged deep in the brand's cellars for four-five years before release. The result is a super-stylish wine brimming with salinity, chalk, flint, lemon sorbet, crunch white peach, dried apricot, orange blossom, honey and buttery brioche.
Don't forget to use our Harvey Nichols discount codes when you buy a bottle of the best Champagne!
