Say Cheers All Season Long: The Best Champagne Roundup

You’d be hard-pressed to find a really great Champagne under $50 these days, but luckily, Henriot still manages to deliver. This non-vintage bubbly shows off its producer’s signature style of complexity accented with zesty minerality, hints of brioche with a touch of green apple and citrus, and fine bubbles. Bring this to a celebratory gathering or pop it open before dinner as an aperitif—your wine-snob friends will be happy it’s actually Champagne, and everyone else will be happy that it’s totally delicious.

Deutz is a long-standing estate in the Aÿ region of Champagne—it’s been run by the same families since 1838. The Brut Classic bottling is made of Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, and thanks to some expert blending, you’ll catch notes of green apple, toasted almonds, and a hint of honey on the nose and palate. It’s a bright and refreshing sparkling to enjoy as an aperitif or alongside rich fish or seafood dishes (think Oysters Rockefeller).  

Fans of James Bond will instantly recognize this producer—Bollinger was first mentioned in Sir Ian Fleming’s novel Diamonds are Forever and shown in the 1979 Bond film Moonraker. This non-vintage blend is made of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Pinot Meunier, giving notes of pear, peach, baked apple, and citrus on the nose and palate. It’s very elegant and vibrant and is honestly a top-quality champagne that drinks like a wine of a much higher price point—an undercover class act, just like 007.

This wine was selected as the official Champagne of this year’s Cannes Film Festival and for good reason—it’s a harmonious blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir that drinks like a dream. Here, hints of almond and plum meet lovely floral notes and a touch of vanilla. Because it has some density to it, it’s a fantastic bubbly to pair with food, a brilliant companion to buttery lobster or briny caviar. While Telmont isn't as widely known in the US as other houses, those in the know will appreciate your good taste.

This is perhaps my favorite Champagne for at least 10 years running—its delicate rose gold hue and elegant notes of red berries and citrus are signature characteristics of this sparkling rosé, a result of its unique vinification process. A blend of ​​Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir, this goes well with seafood as well as desserts with a red fruit component, like a raspberry tart. Personally, I enjoy it as an aperitif—very well chilled—so I can really savor each effervescent sip. If you show up to a party with a bottle of this in hand, we would probably be great friends.

Because of the gorgeous Art Nouveau packaging of Perrier-Jouët Champagne alone, this is one of my favorite brands to gift. This is a super fresh Champagne made of 100 percent Chardonnay, with bright notes of citrus, pear, and elderberry and a smooth, vibrant finish. Perfect for an aperitif, you can also serve this with hamachi crudo or ceviche. I’m a fan of Perrier-Jouët as a whole, so if you’re curious about the house’s more premium vintage offerings, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Belle Epoque bottling as well.

Quiet luxury in a bottle—that’s how I’d categorize this delicate and complex vintage Champagne from Drappier in the Côte des Bar. Named for a parcel of land covered in cinders after a massive fire in 1836, this sparkling is made of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and gives notes of strawberry, quince, toasted brioche, and honey. It has enough substance to hold its own when paired with aged hard cheeses—like Parmigiano-Reggiano—but also goes exceptionally well with chicken too.

The unmistakable polka dot motif of Yayoi Kusama has been reimagined to adorn this collaboration between the celebrated Japanese artist and Veuve Clicquot. La Grande Dame is composed mainly of Pinot Noir with a bit of Chardonnay, and is a smooth Champagne with prominent citrus and floral notes with a delicate trace of almond. The 2012 vintage was exceptional for the region, resulting in wines that are suitable for aging—gift this to an art-appreciating friend or someone who is serious about collecting wine, as this one can be cellared for decades to come.

We’d be remiss to make a list of swoon-worthy Champagne without including one from Dom Pérignon, whose collaboration with Lady Gaga is a celebration of creativity without boundaries. The 2008 vintage was an exceptional one, and while this limited edition release comes with a pretty hefty price tag, it’s definitely a collector’s item. If you decide to pop this open (I mean, YOLO, right?), you’ll be greeted with bountiful aromas of raspberries, strawberries, and hints of floral. Like Gaga herself, it's a showstopper worthy of your attention.

If you’re looking for a splurge with some serious pedigree, look no further than Champagne Charlie, a historic cuvée that was retired in 1985. Charles Heidsieck cellarmaster Cyril Brun revived this bottling in 2017 and released it just this year, to celebrate the 200 year anniversary of founder Charles-Camille Heidsieck’s birth. Vibrant notes of citrus and stone fruit are wrapped in a silky palate, with hints of tropical fruit and baked brioche—I got to taste this at the estate this past fall, and it is stunning.  If this prestige cuvée is a bit rich for your blood, opt for another wonderful pick from the estate—Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Milenaires Brut 2006 ($269), an outstanding vintage that also comes in a gift box adorned with a cutout silhouette of the house’s underground caves.