“Only the unimaginative can fail to find a reason for drinking champagne,” quipped Oscar Wilde, so that popping the cork on a bottle of bubbly needs no celebratory day or moment. Its effervescence has given it as much a romantic association as it does the joy of winning a battle or a game of chess. Which is why it’s the height of wasteful stupidity for athletes to pour it over each other’s sweaty heads after a victory.
Granted, when speaking of Champagnes that carry a price tag of $100 or $300 or more, one might wish to save it for a special occasion. But fortunately there are enough excellent sparkling wines in the market to drink a bottle any day of the week—which the enormous success of Italian Prosecco has shown in the last decade.
Champagne, in all its styles, from Demi-Sec and Extra Dry to Brut and Pas Dosage, still holds an edge against other nations’ sparklers. According to the Champagne Bureau’s latest figures, “Demand for rosé Champagne abroad has increased 5-fold in 20 years. By the end of 2022, it represented over 10% of export sales, with 20 million bottles. . . .
Exports now account for almost 60% of total sales (171.7 million bottles), compared to 45% ten years ago, but many markets remain to be conquered.”
But each country’s sparklers have their own appeal and price points. Here are some I’d happily drink just to improve one’s outlook, or, as Marlene Dietrich observed, sparkling wine “makes you feel like it’s Sunday and there are better days around the corner.”
Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé ($99.99). The House (which also owns Salon, De Castellane and Delamotte) was established in 1812 and still family-run. The brand is now the third best-selling Champagne in the world. In 1968 L-P developed a new process of maceration for a rose, culling from ten different crus of Pinot Noir in the Montagne de Reims.Maceration, lasting from 48 to 72 hours depending on the harvest, extracts deep rose color, which can be tricky in a Champagne, and has a richer Pinot Noir taste than many others. It holds up well with smoked salmon and the white meat of chicken.
Rotari Rosé Brut ($15.99). Made wholly from Chardonnay, in Italy’s high altitude Dolomite mountain valleys of Trentino, Rotari has a lovely pink color, long-lasting perlage and a burst of fruit, with just 1.5% alcohol, and its price makes it easy to drink any day of the week with crustaceans and white-fleshed fish, as well as cheeses like Brie and Pecorino.
Maison Ruinart Rosé ($102). Kudos must go to Ruinart, founded in 1729, for creating in 1764 rosé champagne called “œil de perdrix” (eye of the partridge), a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that has a light coppery tinge to it. They have also come out, for the first time in 20 years a new cuvée called Blanc Singulier ($130), a reaction to its team finding stronger maturity and aromatics in their grapes due to climate change. This is 100% Chardonnay, and cellar master Frederic Panïotis says, “through reworking the blends and aging them in large oak vats, the research progresses. It’s a promise full of authenticity: a cool, very composed of 80% of the wines from the year, with an atypical climate and special maturity, and very low sugar content. “ . . . Dom Ruinart 2010 ($300) he says of this vintage, “it bears the hallmark of Ruinart’s signature fresh, aromatic chardonnay. Time will allow her to take on even great depth, fullness and complexity.” But it’s hard to wait any longer when it is so delicious right now, especially for those who like low or no dosage. It is aged under cork—a re-introduction for this method—with manual disgorgement.
Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2015 ($90). This celebrates the 76th Vintage of the House, with its label showing only the white vintage mark used in the cellars. It’s a blend of 44% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay and 24% Meunier, aged for six years, with six months after disgorging. Moet’s usual floral bouquet flourishes upon being poured, with lively bubbles and a scent of anise. Excellent choice for game birds.
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2015 x Le Bel Objet. A special gift bottle was created as Le Bel Objet by Paolo Paronetto in various chromatic variants that evoke the harmony, “vibrant energy, optimism and joy of Veuve Clicquot champagne” sold in a case of six bottles for $2,200. Without the gift boxes it sells for about $200.
Matthew Bruno Carneros Blanc de Blanc 2020 ($65). This Italian family located in Sonoma and Napa Valley for three generations makes limited editions of its wines, from wine makers Stephens Moody and Dr. Nicola Hall. The grapes are from the coolest section of Carneros grown in shallow clay soil and they receive the winds from San Pablo Bay. The wine has a fine effervescence that stays at the rim and a refreshing mix of fruit and acid that makes it wonderful to drink with strong-flavored fish like salmon, trout and bluefish.
Valdo Prosecco Superiore ($65). Proseccos are not made in the méthode champenoise but instead in the charmat method of controlled temperature. The best production zone in in the Valdobbiadene Hills, and Valdo’ Superiore is one of the best examples, made from 90% Glera and 10% Chardonnay, with a resulting 11.5% alcohol, making it very easy to quaff whenever you’re in the mood. It’s perfect for Italian seafood pastas like linguine with clam sauce or grilled Mediterranean fish.