While the world associates Champagne with celebratory effervescence, less well-known is that the region is also home to still wines. Officially Coteaux Champenois since 1974, these wines and their takes on terroir are nothing new yet were all but forgotten—until the past couple of decades. Starting with the Roman Empire, Champagne’s wine-producing story began with still red. For centuries, these wines were among France’s most prized. A favorite of the former kings of France, they were served at coronations since Clovis, the first French king, in 481. Their popularity proliferated in the royal ..read more

A young drinker may be introduced to Champagne Billecart-Salmon, as I was by one of my aunts in my early twenties, and told she should reserve it for special occasions only. Two decades later, a trip to the region helped me see the error of my aunt’s ways. There, Champagne is consumed daily, like a beer at lunchtime, with six-euro coupes of Taittinger gracing menus at casual bistros and dive bars throughout town.  “It’s just wine and you should drink it whenever,” a waiter at Sacré Burger in Reims told me. My mind was somewhat blown.  In recent years, perceptions surrounding Champagn ..read more

At one time, common wisdom dictated that Champagne was for special occasions—holidays, birthdays, engagement parties and other festive celebrations worthy of a toast. But more recently, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, drinkers in the United States have seemingly decided that any time is a good time to pop a bottle of bubbles. Between 2019 and 2022, the number of American drinkers enjoying sparkling wine has increased by 30%, according to an International Wine and Spirits Research report, and that growth is forecast to continue. In the same report, projections suggest that the market vo ..read more

There’s a lot of pressure (pun intended) that comes with choosing the right bottle of bubbly to kick off the new year. From nonvintage Champagne for every budget to splurge-worthy Champagnes to add to your cellar, there is a ton of variety out there. Need help navigating it all? Our wine tasting experts break down everything you need to know about the best Champagne bottles to pop this New Year’s Eve, plus some intel on what Champagne is (to sound smart at your New Year’s shindig), how to properly open a bottle (so you won’t injure anyone with an exploding cork) and so much more. With our help ..read more

From Brut to sparkling rosé, sparkling wine and Champagne can improve with age just like bold reds and crisp white wines. When mature, they develop wonderful secondary aromas and flavors of dried fruit, honey, hazelnut, and biscuit with effervescent bubbles of toast and cream. Over the years, the carbonation will mellow, leading to soft tingling fizz along with high levels of acidity on the palate. Check out the six best age-worthy sparkling wines to save for a special occasion. Pol Roger 2012 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Brut (Champagne); $360, 99 points. The great 2012 vintage shows well in t ..read more

There’s a lot of pressure (pun intended) that comes with choosing the right bottle of bubbly to kick off the new year. From nonvintage Champagne for every budget to splurge-worthy Champagnes to add to your cellar, there is a ton of variety out there. Need help navigating it all? Our wine tasting experts break down everything you need to know about the best Champagne bottles to pop this New Year’s Eve, plus some intel on what Champagne is (to sound smart at your New Year’s shindig), how to properly open a bottle (so you won’t injure anyone with an exploding cork) and so much more. With our help ..read more

In 2021, Champagne producer Louis Roederer made headlines when it decided to stop making its best-selling nonvintage Brut Premier, replacing it with a new multi-vintage cuvée called “Collection.” It’s the latest producer to announce such a change, following in the footsteps of houses like Jacquesson, which—over 20 years ago—got rid of its nonvintage blend in favor of the Cuvée seven-series. Besides Jacquesson, a handful of other houses also have multi-vintage offerings: Krug makes its Grand Cuvée, Laurent Perrier makes Grand Siecle Iterations and Champagne Lallier created the multi-vintage bot ..read more

It’s not your imagination: Champagne is harder to find these days. After a perfect storm of disruptions, the U.S. is currently in the early stages of a Champagne shortage that is expected to last several years. First, the obvious issues. Supply chain issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic have left importers scrambling to anticipate what to order months in advance since delivery to the U.S. can now take twice or even three times as long. The market has fluctuated over the last 18 months, too. In 2020, the demand for Champagne dropped 18% by volume, according to Comité Interprofessionnel du ..read more

From Brut to sparkling rosé, sparkling wine and Champagne can improve with age just like bold reds and crisp white wines. When mature, they develop wonderful secondary aromas and flavors of dried fruit, honey, hazelnut, and biscuit with effervescent bubbles of toast and cream. Over the years, the carbonation will mellow, leading to soft tingling fizz along with high levels of acidity on the palate. Check out the six best age-worthy sparkling wines to save for a special occasion. Pol Roger 2012 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Brut (Champagne); $360, 99 points. The great 2012 vintage shows well in t ..read more

In Champagne, there are around 19,000 growers that cultivate vines. Most sell their grapes to large houses like Taittinger, Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. Just 5,000 produce wines at their estates. Their bottles are sometimes called “grower wines” or “farmer fizz,” a type of Champagne praised for its ability to reflect the characteristics of a given vintage. By contrast, many house-style Champagnes are blended from different plots to ensure consistent taste. But how does one judge the best of the best grower Champagnes? There are, after all, thousands from which to choose, and they are ..read more