Champagne Annual 2015

A lot.

Now that’s established, it’s pretty evident we think you should drink a lot of fizz too. Not just on special occasions, but any day. Every day. The sparkle of bubbly in your glass makes any day special, really. Of course, not many people have champagne budgets, including us. We more often pop the cork on sparkling wines from other regions – including our own BC backyard (watch the tasting notes section of our website Monday, December 14 for a release of numerous sparkling wines beyond champagne).

But there’s something undeniably special about champagne. The terroir, the history, the longevity – and the complexities. It is the epitome of fizz.

To celebrate the end of the year and ring in 2016 in style, we have tasted nearly 50 champagnes, and have full notes below for you.

But first – a quick primer on grower champagne.

Grower Champagne

Farmer fizz. Champagne of terroir. Artisinal champagne. Récoltants-Manipulants. Authentically vintage champagne. All terms I’ve come across to describe grower champagne.

So – what is it? Well, in the simplest of forms, it’s champagne made from growers. Today 90 percent of all of the vineyards are owned by independent growers (about 19,000 growers) and nearly 2000 of these growers make and sell their own wine, accounting for approximately 22 percent of the sales. The vast majority of exports however are controlled by the large merchant houses. The big houses own just 10 percent of the vineyard area of Champagne (300,000 or so specific vineyard plots on 34,000 specifically delineated hectares), but control a mind-boggling 97 percent of exports. Since these global powers own only a small fraction of the vineyard acreage collectively, sourcing grapes and wine is a major priority. The 10 largest houses account for over 50 percent of the region’s sales, which are considerable. 

Grower champagne is made on a small, sometimes micro-scale. Much more hands-on and personalized, they are inherently characterful and singular. Since individual vineyard holdings are small, grower champagnes, by nature and default, focus on a certain region. Vineyards are often clustered around a single village, thus the cuvée reflects that village’s terroir. In contrast, for the large brands’ consistent house style, grapes may be blended from vineyard plots across the entire Champagne region.  Without the vast blending reserves of the large houses and without the need for consistency on a large scale year over year, grower champagne can show variability from one year to the next, even within a NV or MV cuvée (more on that below). This is especially timely in this wine age when consumers are asking questions, searching for a sense of place and talking terroir like never before. Champagne made on a much smaller scale, by the people that work the soils and tend the vines is a welcome addition to the face of the region.

Grower champagnes are often released younger than their large house counterparts due in part to the greater financial resources that would be needed for long term aging and storage. Since production is small, many growers can try new things and push the envelope a bit. Lower dosage wines are common, with zero dosage (brut nature, brut zéro or non-dosé) on trend. There are also a growing cadre of biodynamic champagne and single plot champagne – something that you wouldn’t see on a large scale.

How can you identify a grower champers? Champagnes can be identified by the initials that appear before a number on the wine label. Look for a miniscule RM on the label, denoting Récoltant-Manipulant. This means the producer grows and makes champagne from their own vines (minimum 95%). The initials NM (Négociant-Manipulant) appear on the labels of champagne producers that bottle and market champagne using grapes purchased from other growers. This is where the large houses fit in. CM (Coopérative-Manipulant) is a co-operative of growers who blend the product of their collective vineyards to sell under one or more brands. RC (Récoltant-Coopérateur) is a wine sourced from a single grower but made entirely for him by a co-operative winemaking facility. SR (Société de Récoltants) is a registered firm set up by two or more growers who share the same winery which they use to make wine to sell under their own label. This designation differs from a CM in that the growers almost always have significant involvement in the winemaking process. And MA (marque d’acheteur) is a buyer’s own brand, as for a supermarket, for example.

The large houses, with millions of bottles lining kilometers of cellars, drive the lion’s share of that revenue, and have the budgets and backing for marketing their luxury product – one that has become somewhat of a standardized global commodity. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just a different avenue to take. Compared to grower champagne, it’s an entirely differing aim, differing targets. One is looking for site (and vintage) expression, and the other consistency and reach, no matter the year. Both producers are telling a story, but through entirely diverse plotlines, with vastly opposite budgets and completely divergent endings.

Though the result of all? To make your experience special. There’s a champagne out there for everyone, no matter your style preference. Here are nearly 50 we’ve tasted this year. We’re pretty sure you’ll find reason for cheers in here.

97. Krug Clos du Mesnil 2003 $1300.00

There must be some magic air conditioner at Clos du Mesnil, perhaps the wall (le clos) and town conspire to keep the vineyard cool because in a very hot 2003 this is a very cool customer. The nose is at once enticing and mysterious with the lightest of floral, salty citrus notes wafting from the glass. The palate is juicy in a polite with aromatic pear fruit, lemongrass and just a minute dusting of white pepper and dried herbs. A perfect bubble for oysters or lobster and one that will age well thorough 2020. AG

96 . Champagne Dom Pérignon 2005 $199.99

Absolute beauty. Striking nose of struck stone and chalk opens this refined, coolly classic Dom. Yields were low in 2005, which could explain the intense (yet apparently effortless) concentration of this exceptional wine. Chalky mineral, subtle citrus, light smoke and taut, precise acidity hallmark this vintage, with a gentle cushion of citrus led fruit supporting the whole. A complex depth of flavours carries through the glass, changing as it interacts with air and temperature. Drinking beautifully now, but will continue to hold for - ever. TR

96 . Champagne Dom Pérignon 2005 $199.99

I wasn’t expecting such a fine showing from the 2005 but winemaker Richard Geoffrey does it again. September rains impacted the final yield leaving Dom down 50 percent of the 2005 is chardonnay which explains its elegance and lift right out of the glass. The nose will wow you with its expressive chalky mineral notes. It’s lighter than the 2004 but the trade-off is the electricity and fragrance. It’s not really built for a decade or two but it is sure good right now. Again very good stuff and given the ridiculous price of top Bordeaux and Burgundy you may want to consider buying some of this instead. Precision and purity. AG

95. Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut 2002 $300.00

Rare is a 70/30 blend of chardonnay and pinot noir grown on 17 cru classified sites in the Montagne de Reims. The nose is a mix of tasted nuts and classic brioche and showing some maturity. Rare is one of the last tête-de-cuvées to come to the market although it doesn’t look near fifteen years old. The palate remains fresh with some tangy acidity. The fruit is a compote of cherries, plum and pears that smouldered under a nutty, long, complex finish. Balanced and complex this is a serious bottle of bubble for the dinner table. AG

95. Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut 2002 $300.00

It's rare that you'll taste a Champagne from a bottle this ornamental, or one this complex. Elegant and finessed, this blend of 70/30 chardonnay/pinot noir is sourced across seventeen crus and matured for over seven years. Crystalline lemon, meringue and flaky brioche through the nose and palate. This carries the weight of its age beautifully, with the depth and lees balanced off with the lift of fragrant lemon pith. TR

94. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2005 $209.99

Bit of a price upswing with the 2005 Comtes, a one-two of the Canadian dollar plus global demand perhaps? Regardless, there will always be a market for Comtes; the unparalleled elegant linearity, focus and depth of this chardonnay is highly sought after. Unbuttered popcorn, biscuit, lemon peel and sea salt open the nose, leading to a driving, expressive palate with green apple, seashell, chalk and marine sea salt before a skiff of white grapefruit and tangerine peel on the very lengthy finish. Elegance, epitomized. Drinking beautifully now, but will hold for - well - ever. Watch for the 2006 to grace our shores soon. TR

93. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2005 $209.99

A quick revisit of the 2005 Comtes de Champagne reveals this Blanc de Blanc is now ready to drink. No one does chardonnay like Taittinger highlighting finesse and elegance since 1952. Not as big as the 2002 or 2004 it will provide breathing room for those wines to continue to age. The nose is fresh and elegant with nutty, lemon, honey, brioche, baked green apple, spice and quince aromas. The style predictably fresh and juicy, the palate creamy with fine mousse. More nutty, pear and toasted lemon and honey flavours. Elegant as ever and delicate with full flavours but just a touch short in the finish. Drink now or over the next five years. First produced in 1952, it is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes from 6 Grand Cru sites in the Côte de Blancs. ST

93. Champagne Pierre Gimonnet Brut Cuis 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs N/V $62.00

The third generation of the Gimonnet family is now overseeing this Côtes des Blancs Champagne kingdom and the hallmark of the wines are lively, precise, pure freshness. This Blanc de Blancs is crystal crisp and bright, with driving linearity through to the lengthy finish. Five different harvests in the cuvee provide depth and complexity, though the base is youthful, keeping the freshness and the piercing acidity of Cuis prominent. Aromas of juicy green apple, sea salt, subtle white flowers and lemon open onto schist-y complexity, with chalky purity, vivacious intensity and a shimmery, saline-laced lemon zest to the finish. chardonnay’s pure elegance and finesse, perfectly achieved. TR

93 Champagne Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Brut Rosé de Blancs NV $69.00

This pristine, finessed rosé is for those people who may not generally gravitate towards rosé champagnes (ahem - people like me). Delicate and intense at once, with a chalky textural minerality and precision that befits its 96 percent chardonnay. Four percent still pinot noir from Bouzy is added to the blend, yielding an ever-so-delicate peach hue and whiff of wild strawberries, gentle hint of cherries and red liquorice that floats atop a linear, driving lemon pith and mineral vein and a positively grippy riff. The finish is lengthy and rose tinged. A striking, pristine example of what rosé champagne can be. Drinking beautifully now, but will hold easily for 5+ years. TR

92. Champagne Varnier-Fanniere Cuvee St. Denis Brut Grand Cru N/V $75.99

You have to love a champagne that mentions Danish pastries among its descriptors. The grapes, all from one Grand Cru site in Avise, the Clos du Grand Père, are 65 years old. Five years of bottle age ensure complexity and mature flavours but with freshness and floral notes. The attack is rich and creamy with nutty, toasted, Danish pastry notes some honey and baked apple all with enough citrus to keep it fresh. Impressive bottle with a sheen of minerality. Works with most any foods. AG-ST

92. Louis Roederer Brut Rosé 2009 $82.99

Pale, pale pink the Roederer is an impressive bottle of rosé. Fresh, yet almost ethereal its elegant, spicy red fruit flavours waft out of the glass featuring raspberry, cherries, ginger, dried fruits and a dusting of stony, minerality. The mix is 70/30 pinot noir/chardonnay 20 percent of which is matured in oak tuns without malolactic fermentation that spends an average of four years ageing on lees, plus more than six months after disgorging in the bottle. Perfect with smoked salmon. AG-ST

92. Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne N/V $56.99

This delicious bubble continues its fine showing opening with an attractive, fragrant nose. The attack is fresh with lemony, toasted, baked apple, floral aromas. The textures are creamy but with a streak of acidity keep it fresh. The palate is mix of cherry, citrus, chalky salty mineral, biscuit notes. Always classy. The Brut Premier blend is a 40/40/20 mix of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier and that includes 10% of reserve wine from three former harvests aged in oak casks for 2-6 years. AG

92. Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne N/V $56.99

Fine citrus and salted almond dominate this finessed, elegant Champagne from start to finish. Fine brioche, salted Meyer lemon and fine stone build this precise wine through to the lingering finish. Subtly confident and classic, this 40/40/20 mix of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier includes 10% reserve wines from three harvests, and rests in oak casks for 2-6 years. TR

92. Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve (Dégorgement 2013) N/V $60.99

Change is part of the Charles Heidsieck’s Brut Réserve formula. The new blend deals with about 60 parcels down from 120 to better focus the complexity. Clearly 40 percent reserve wines aged from five to 15 years make this wine the star it is. Slightly darker now but still lively and fresh it has nutty, brioche nose with baked apple, honey and cream aromas. The palate is elegant and lively with fine mousse and spicy, citrus, juicy baked apple/cherry/tropical fruit flavours. The balance is perfect with lots of bottle development in the finish. Impressive fresh mouth-filling bubble that over-delivers for the price. AG

91. Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve (Dégorgement 2013) N/V $60.99

Deep, toasty goût anglais aromas, rich and full, with hazelnut, macadamia praline and brioche, a reflection of the approximately 40 percent reserve wines in cépage. Full bodied and fleshy, with heady caramel, baked apple and lemon curd through the finish. Acidity is lively, more than enough to channel the flow. Forceful, though with finesse, this champagne will suit richer dishes, like roasted guinea fowl or pâté. TR

92. Henriot Blanc de Blancs Brut N/V $73.99

Sleek is a beauty descriptor of this champagne, with fruit all sourced from the Cotes de Blanc. It has the brioche, fruit, sea salt, minerals, subtle lees and gentle honey that we crave, but it’s all hidden away in a quiet style, one that gives a little and withholds a little in every sip. Chic and lithe. This chalky, feather light fizz is drinking beautifully now, and will continue to evolve in the bottle for the next 5+ years. TR

92. Champagne Vilmart & Cie Grande Réserve Brut Premier Cru NV $58.30

Alluring fine dough, toast and gentle lees opens this premier cru 70/30 pinot noir/chardonnay blend, a blend of two vintages. A fuller cushion of red fruit (red apples, currants) reflects the majority pinot noir in the cépage, balanced out with a vein of bright acidity from the chardonnay and plumped up with a minimum of ten months ferment and aging in oak. A lovely base of nutty hazelnuts, gentle toast and crystalline orange textures with crisp pear and green apple to the lengthy finish. Family owned since its foundation in 1890, Vilmart owns and organically farms 11 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards in and around the village of Rilly. All of Vilmart’s wines are fermented and aged for at least 10 months in oak, this NV in foudres. Drinking beautifully now, but will continue to complex for the next 5+ years easily. TR

91. Champagne Jean Milan Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Special N/V $62.00

The Milan family are fifth generation vine growers, growing grapes since 1864. They began with selling to négociant houses (including Krug) while learning the traditions and techniques for making their own fine champagne. This chardonnay, from Grand Cru vineyards in Oger, opens with lovely nutty toast, brioche and apple aromas. Richer and creamy on the palate with stony, red apple dominating. Very fine, lively bubbles stream over a creamy, fine lees and baked apple base. Fine lemon pith and chalk linger on the finish. Some power here, and would work well with poultry and morels. TR

91. Philipponnat Champagne Royale Reserve Brut N/V $63

Based on the 2011 vintage with 30 percent reserve wine, this 65/30/5 pinot noir/chardonnay/pinot meunier blend is sourced mostly from premier and grand cru vineyards. Elegant and refined, with light biscuit, lemon pith and cracked stone savouriness. The focussed palate carries green apple, an undercurrent of subtle red fruits, yellow plum, gentle dried apricot and fine salt through to a lengthy, lingering, honeyed finish. Refined, stately and elegant - befitting its royale name. Drink now or hold for 5+ years. TR

91. Pol Roger Brut Cuvée de Reserve N/V $60.99

Pol Roger Brut is often one of the lightest, most elegant expressions of the region and this bottle is no different. Given its ethereal notes the blend is surprisingly a third each of pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay. The nose is a mineral, pie crust, citrus affair; the palate baked apple, toasted biscuit, sea salt, green apple skin flavours. Creamy and smooth with quite a sleek but lengthy finish. Fabulous food wine. AG

91. Pol Roger Brut Cuvée de Reserve N/V $60.99

Is there a more classic nose than Pol Roger Brut Reserve? Not for me. One sniff of the toasty, pie crust, yellow apple nose and there is nowhere else you could be but Champagne. A firm palate of pastry, pear, peach and lemon curd is woven with a stream of fine white florals. Moderate acidity carries to a stony, lingering finish. Equally split between pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, and the balance is apparent. Drinking beautifully now. TR

90. Champagne Chartogne-Taillet Sainte Anne Brut $50.00

Though it changes from year to year, Cuvée Sainte Anne Brut is equal parts chardonnay/pinot noir, sourced from the village of Merfy in the Montagne de Reims. It is the only grower champagne from the village and the family has wine growing roots back to 1485; the rest of the vineyards in Merfy are claimed by co-ops or go to larger houses. Farmed organically and wild fermented there’s no filtration that gives an earthy wildness to this textured champagne. Nuts, dried apple, light toast and lees on the nose carry through to the fine, light, bone-dry palate that rings with salt, smoked stone, apple and light oxidative notes. Nuts linger on the finish. Pour as an aperitif; it's worth the solo investigative sipping. TR

90. Champagne Bauchet Brut 1er Cru Signature N/V $52.00

Open attractive bread dough nose with hints of sea salt and white fruits. The mix, 80/20 chardonnay pinot noir, further lends a lightness and freshness to the wine. Dry citrus, stone fruit elements persist on the lengthy-mid-palate but shorter finish. A tasty bubble you can confidently serve before dinner with an assortment of simple appetizers. AG

89. Champagne Bauchet Brut 1er Cru Signature N/V $52.00

Lovely fine brioche, pear and subtle apple blossom open this 60/40 chardonnay/pinot noir premier cru. The blossoms emerge fuller on the palate, with fragrant white flowers, ripe pear and lemon undercurrent. Firm structure holds this intact, and length is moderate. Ernest and keen. TR

90. G. H. Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge NV $52.99

Correct fresh nose with bright baked pear, citrus nose and bits of chalky minerality. Crisp mid-palate with more honey lees and stony elements but the finish is touch dry and coarse. This will be best served with richer-style appetizers. If you didn’t know late in the 19th century, the label was decorated with the Cordon Rouge as a tribute to the French Légion d’Honneur. Mumm adds 25 to 30% reserve wine stored in wood for to up four years. The complexity comes from the 77 crus that go into the 45/30/25 blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. AG

90. G. H. Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge NV $52.99

Classic. Lovely nose of chalk, green apple and lemon carries through to the palate where light toast and moderate lees support. Well struck balance of bright, lemon-tinged acidity and a core of leesy, honeyed apple holds throughout to a stony finish. Proper and consistent, Mumm is a staple to revisit often. TR

90. Ruinart Champagne Brut NV $68.99

Expect a clean nose. It’s not really singing with more honey than fruity notes but the texture weight and finish is all solid. Look for some tasted hazelnuts mixed with salt and candied lemons/apricots with a touch of spice. You can bring this to the dinner table to match halibut or cheese. The ‘R’ de Ruinart is a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 57% Pinot Noir and 3% Pinot Meunier. Added to that is roughly 20 to 25% reserve wine that is a minimum two years old. The dosage sit around 9 g/l. AG

90. Ruinart Champagne Brut NV $68.99

Reflecting its distinctive rotund bottle, this classic 60/40 pinot noir/chardonnay blend's stature feels stately and round, firmly planted, safe and familiar. Preserved lemon, green apple tightness and fine, tight lees are wrapped up in a firm, formal structure and finish with very fine, salted lemon. Quite proper, in the best way, and drinking well now but will hold for 5+ years. TR

90. Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut NV $60.99

It's never easy to be the big Champagne house, small is better and all that,  but consistency counts too. Brut Imperial with its 30/40 percent pinot noir, 30/40 percent pinot meunier and 20/30 percent chardonnay, selected from some 200 individual cru vineyards and 20 to 30 percent reserve wine manages to pull it out most years. Look for lemon curd, grippy dried apple and stone notes here. Moderate acids provide a fine support for the green apple, lemon and moderate lees of the medium bodied palate. They say a bottle of Moet is popped every second around the globe - if they're all this solid, the globe is in luck. Perfect with classic Chinese shrimp dumplings. AG-TR

90. Lanson Black Label Brut Pinot Noir - Chardonnay - Pinot Meunier N/V $52.99

Now, as it did when founded 1760, the company focuses on exporting champagne to foreign channels. In fact, it is known to be a favourite of Queen Elizabeth and it’s the house bubble at Wimbledon – so it’s certainly good enough for you to enjoy - especially considering its reasonable price (sigh - on our market).  A stream of lemon, from first whiff to the crisp finish, with light stone, green apple and an underlay of light white florals. 50/35/15 pinot noir/chardonnay/pinot meunier blend in the cuvée. Approachable, accessible, drink liberally. TR

89. Lanson Black Label Brut Pinot Noir - Chardonnay - Pinot Meunier N/V $52.99

Love the mineral opening, the green apple skin and toasted floral aromas. Round, soft, fresh approachable style with more nutty, citrus, stony floral flavours. Crisp and dry most years and now consistent. Lanson Black label is a 50/35/15 blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. It takes its name from Victor Lanson, who in 1937 launched Black Label to honour the colour black, a symbol of elegance and the story of this pinot noir dominated champagne. AG

90. Taittinger Brut Reserve N/V $56.99

Unusual broad flat nose of pear, apple aromas. The attack is crisp and more elegant, with fresh red apple, toasted, spicy, citrus, peach skin flavours with some sweetness showing up on the juicy, citrus finish. Solid if lacking a little excitement this time out. AG

90. Taittinger Brut Reserve N/V $56.99

Perfumed florals, lemon blossom and ginger open this stalwart Champagne, consistently streamline and welcoming year over year. Deep white florals, crystalline lemon, tight pear, green and yellow apples and a subtle undercurrent of dried apple/apricot creaminess. Forty percent chardonnay, with the balance between pinot noir and pinot meunier. Classic. TR

90. Taittinger Prélude Grands Crus N/V $95.00

A 50/50 blend of chardonnay/ pinot noir from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims respectively. The wine spends 60 months in its lees before release. The nose is fresh with mineral floral oyster shell notes. The attack is rich and weight with peachy, baked pear, honey and tasted ripe cherry notes. The finish is crisp and slightly sweet with citrus rind undercurrent. Unusual style but still with finesse. AG

90. Taittinger Prélude Grands Crus N/V $95.00

An equal split of pinot noir and chardonnay aged for 5+ years on the lees makes up Prélude, a rich, heady and creamy blend that rings elderflowers, white peach and pear blossoms. Dough and ripe white peach carry the dense palate, one thankfully lifted with a crease of citrus acidity. A developed, richer style that would well suit a duck pâté. TR

89. Tendil & Lombardi Cuvée Brut N/V $46.99

Price will draw a number of folks to this wine a 75/25 mix of pinot noir and chardonnay. I’m not sure we had the best bottle, at least on the nose, which was showing damp earth, wine cellar and mushroom notes Perhaps it was simply reflecting its pinot noir dominance. In any event the style is austere; the finish is much brighter than the start with super dry citrus fruit atop mineral/chalky undertones. Best served, now, as an appetizer fizz with smoked salmon. AG-TR

89. Piper-Heidsieck Brut N/V $52.99

A fresh creamy mousse spreads out across the palate with well-managed acidity/sweetness ratio. Honey, baked pear/apple mixes with nutty, butter and citrus/strawberry flavours flecked with caramel. Solid. The Signature Cuvée Brut blend is a 40/30/30 mix of pinot noir / pinot meunier / chardonnay with a selection of reserve wine. It spends 24 months on its lees before release. AG

88. Piper-Heidsieck Brut N/V $52.99

Ample toast and lemon curd dominate this expansive fizz, a 40/30/30 pinot noir/pinot meunier/chardonnay blend. Broad and toasty on the palate, with red fruits, honeyed brioche and a nutty. light caramel finish. Less streamline than the last time I tasted it, but still entirely solid and reliable. TR

89. Champagne Gardet Brut Tradition N/V $44.99

Gardet’s mix is 45/45/10 pinot noir/pinot meunier/chardonnay that spends 36 months on its lees. About 20% reserve wine adds some structure here to a wine that opens with a mix of floral and herbaceous notes. The attack is creamy with a harmonious mix of yeasty toasted brioche notes and peachy fruit. Solid holiday workhorse Champagne. AG

89. Champagne Gardet Brut Tradition N/V $44.99

This blend of 45/45/10 pinot noir/pinot meunier/chardonnay opens with stone fruit and perfumed white florals which carry through to a firm, stony palate. Pithy lemon acids lift the fruit up to a little salty grip at the end, welcoming pairing with richer egg dishes and brunch. A rest of 36 months on lees and approximately 20 percent reserve wine plumps up this fizz nicely. TR

89. Taittinger Nocturne Rosé NV $86.99

Like a showy smart girl, the pink disco ball fizz impresses with its unexpected balance. Raspberry pie and brioche aromas carry through to the medium bodied palate. The 17.5 g/l of residual sugar gobbles up the acidity pretty well, leaving a flow of easy, foamy strawberry and pear in its wake. For the purists, this festive looking bottle is a blend of more than 35 crus from a various harvests that spend 48 months on its lees – the grape ratio is 40/35/25/ chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier and it gets a dosage of 18 g/l to smooth out all the edges. AG-TR

89. Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec N/V $69.99

Gingersnap, sweet brioche and caramelized pear lead this demi-sec fizz, one suitable for custard desserts or foie gras. Think of this as how Champagne was in the 19th century, when sweeter Champagne was in vogue. Candied orange (Grand Marnier notes) with bits of honey and toast. Not overly sweet but rich and ready for spicy dishes. The blend, from some 50 individual wines, is 40-45% pinot noir, 30-35% pinot meunier and 20-25% chardonnay with 20-30 reserve wines. The dosage is a fairly sweet 45 g/l. AG-TR

89. Champagne Pierre Paillard Bouzy Brut Grand Cru $25.96 (375ml)

Fine mousse with a mature, toasty, brioche nose with some baked apple, strawberry, nut aromas. Fairly dry Brut with good fine mousse and spicy, nutty, toasty, cooked strawberry, lemon and baked pear flavours. Fine intensity and length with good acidity but the half bottle is more mature than a normal size 750 mL. AG

89. Perrier - Jouët Grand Brut N/V $54.99

White flowers, fruit-laden pastry and generous nuttiness carries this classic champagne, a cuvée first created in 1856. The perfumed white flowers carry onto the palate, one a bit coarser textured with crunchy green apple, baked red apple, light earth, gingersnap and crystalline lemon. A 40/40/20 pinot noir/pinot meunier/chardonnay blend from premier and grand cru vineyards are utilized here, and a 10-12 g/l dosage fills out the finish. TR

88. Veuve Clicquot Brut N/V $61.99

Very upfront nose, with ample mandarine, citrus, toast and baked apple on the nose and palate. The fuller palate (guessing top of the brut dosage scale) turns flabbier with time but when chilled and cracked, the citrine crispiness and ample doughy toast is highly appealing. The N/V brut defines the house style thanks to some 25 to 40 per cent reserve wine in each edition. TR

88. Champagne Montaudon Brut N/V $43.99

It’s hard to know the final story because the half bottle we tasted was showing quite a bit of oxidation – the reason I don’t like half bottles of sparkling wine. Underneath there is a fine stripe of acidity to support the toasted brioche and baked apple pie with a salty undercurrent. Founded in 1891 the brut blend is a 45/25/10 pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier, blended with 20% reserve wines. Good value. Buy the full bottle. AG

88. Champagne Montaudon Brut N/V $43.99

Showing noticeable oxidation in the split size, with ample brioche, dough and rich apple pie pierced with a spike of lemony acidity. Salty pie crust settles on the finish. Would be keen to try in full bottle to check oxidation levels. A value champagne (on our market - amazing), the blend is 45/25/10 pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier, bolstered with 20 percent reserve wines. TR

88. Taittinger Prestige Rosé N/V $79

Taittinger vinifies 85% of the blend as white wine, with the remainder vinified as red, to keep the elegant house style even in a rosé. The final cuvée is a mix of 15 crus plus some young reserve wines. Look for a crushed raspberry/cherry nose that carries through to the palate, coloured by that 15 percent still pinot noir added to the chardonnay base. Acidity is brisk and bright, and though the medium bodied palate is a bit coarse it should pair well with carpaccio or charcuterie. The grape mix is 50/30/20 pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier. AG-TR

87. Champagne Bauchet Seduction Rosé $55.99

Candied cherry, light floral and potpourri scents ring this medium bodied fizz. Lemon verbena acidity helps drive the rustic and loose palate. A simple style here that you can serve liberally before dinner, preferably with canapés. The blend is 75/10/15/ chardonnay, pinot noir and still red wine from the Coteaux Champenois. AG-TR