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Nothing beats the crisp, unmistakable crack of a Champagne bottle being popped. It’s a sonic cue – a celebratory signal which has come to mark many of life’s biggest moments; weddings, anniversaries, promotions, births, new homes, and every minor celebration in between. Not that you need an excuse. After all, Champagne is made to be drunk – rather than stored – and rarely benefits from additional ageing.
Still, Champagne doesn’t come cheap, so you want to make sure you’re buying the best of the best before you invest. As do we. So, as a public service, we popped more bottles than Gatsby on New Year’s and taste-tested our way through just about everything in the market to find the very best Champagnes you can buy today. (It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.)
What is the best Champagne to buy?
Whether you’re after a slick bottle to gift a loved one or an audacious magnum to get your next dinner party popping, we’ve taste-tested the spoils from everyone from well-established French megabrands to smaller producers and landed on 22 of the very best Champagnes you could possibly hope to pop.
- Best affordable Champagne: M&S St Gall Champagne, £28 at ocado.com
- Best Champagne to buy as a gift: Henri Giraud Hommage au Pinot Noir Champagne, £75 at ocado.com
- Best luxury Champagne: Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2015, £170 at thewhiskyexchange.com
- Best English sparkling wine Champagne alternative: Ridgeview Cavendish NV, £40 at majestic.co.uk
How we choose the best Champagne
British GQ's resident drinks expert, Lela London, has spent over 10 years going on vineyard tours, exploring what’s new (and old) in the market, and indulging in Champagne tastings galore. A moment of silence, please, for her liver. In an effort to provide you with a curated list of the very best Champagnes, she has tasted every bottle below, multiple times, and has hand-picked a selection to cover all tastes and budgets.
Skip to: Where does Champagne come from? | What are the flavours of Champagne? | What’s the difference between Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and Crémant? | What is dosage? | How should Champagne be served?
Shop GQ's edit of the best Champagnes for 2024
Orange blossom, acacia, and citrus fruits reign supreme here, making for an incredibly delicious, lively and complex Champagne. The grapes harvested from these 'Grands Terroirs' are known for their power, structure and nobility – in a year of extraordinary weather conditions – which is to say this Palmer & Co beaut makes for truly special bottle pop. £64. At thefinestbubble.com
Idris Elba’s Porte Noire is not your average ‘celebrity’ Champagne. In fact, you kind of forget he’s involved with the brand at all after a few glasses of the Grand Cru or Petit Rosé NV. The latter, in particular, is an elegant and unexpected take, with just-baked brioche tones and crisp minerality. £32. At harveynichols.com
Blended by Lombard et Medot in Épernay, these vegan-friendly bubbles hail from a legendary year for Champagne (2015), in which dry weather resulted in superior ripeness but lower than average yields. It’s exclusive – and tastes it – in a ‘Brut Nature’ style which makes it the perfect choice for people who love bone-dry Champagnes. £68. At harveynichols.com
A solid contender for the perfect Champagne gift (see: its gorgeous packaging and the also-gorgeous liquid inside), Henri Giraud’s Hommage au Pinot Noir is a feat. Sensationally expressive and creamy, this Champagne is rich, biscuit-forward, with a light plummy note that keeps things interesting. £75. At ocado.com
School night bottle pops are infinitely easier with a couple of half bottles in the fridge, and few are a better investment than the Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve. It’s super light, thanks to a Pinot Noir/Meunier/Chardonnay blend, and delivers a lot of apple and pear on the palate. £25 for a half bottle. At wanderlustwine.co.uk
Delectably dry, Pommery’s Brut Royal Champagne NV is a go-to for a reason. Brought to fame by Louise Pommery (at a time when women were expressly forbidden to work, unless widowed), a bottle pop also always feels like a little toast to feminism. Long story short, it’s a sparkling example of how Champagne should taste and be made. £44. At waitrosecellar.com
As well as being the perfect way to start a lively debate at the dinner table – over whether its pronounced “mo-ay” or “mo-et” (the latter is technically correct) – Moët & Chandon’s Impérial Brut is a genuinely great Champagne. It’s generous on the palate, with lots of white and stone fruit, and bubbles like the best of ‘em. £43 £36. At amazon.co.uk
A rich golden beauty with exceptionally fine bubbles, it’s fairly difficult to pick this one out as an English sparkling wine in a Champagne. The Pinot (Noir and Meunier) dominance brings depth and complexity to the palate, and punchy red berries sparkle throughout. £40. At majestic.co.uk
Castelnau’s flagship Brut is a timeless (or, well, 100-year-plus) choice for discerning Champagne drinkers. With a refined Chardonnay core, it’s packed with notes of ripe yellow-stone fruits, rich apricot, white peach, and a hint of white tobacco. £36. At wineshoponline.co.uk
While Veuve Clicquot's wide range of Champagnes have something sensational to offer at every price point, Le Grand Dame 2015 is in a league of its own. The vintage is blended with grapes from eight Grand Crus, resulting in a smooth, floral palate with aromas of jasmine, pear, wildflowers and clementine. £170. At thewhiskyexchange.com
A new Blanc de Noirs made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes, this Grand Cru is a true celebration of Pinot Noir’s vibrant character. A strictly first-press bottling, its palate has a refreshing acidity packed with pink grapefruit and red cherries – plus exceptionally fine bubbles. £67. At wanderlustwine.co.uk
Properly decent for the price point, Marks and Sparks’ St Gall Champagne has been crafted from Premier Cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, making for a unique palate with lots of minerality. A brilliant dinner party choice. £28. At ocado.com
A small grower's Champagne with Grand Marques energy, Gaston Declos’ Brut NV is one of the best affordable Champagnes on the market. With fine bubbles, a rich biscuit-y palate, and a delightfully long finish, it ticks every box. £33. At virginwines.co.uk
Founded in 1827 this award-winning Champagne is a testament to G.H. Mumm's uncompromising motto, “only the best”. The Cordon Rouge (the House’s signature cuvee) won a Gold Medal at the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) and boasts a punchy, fresh blend of 77 different crus. £39. At sainsburys.co.uk
Another brilliant little baby bottle, the house expression of Brimoncourt’s style can be enjoyed in the ultra-golden Régence, dominated by the elegant Chardonnay of Aÿ-Champagne. A classic profile of brioche, peaches and cream to enjoy whenever the mood strikes. £25 for a half bottle. At wanderlustwine.co.uk
Whether you’re hunting for a present for a Stolli-Bolli sort or simply want to gift a Champagne with a distinct personality, a Bollinger hamper is something of a failsafe. Fun fact: it’s also the first Champagne to ever receive the royal stamp of approval, and became the official supplier of Champagne to the British court in 1884. £99. At hampers.com
The Rothschilds know how to make a distinguished Champagne, and the Concordia Brut is a personal favourite. Subtle yet gastronomic, its blend of three-year-old Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier creates a subtle bouquet of white flesh fruits. An easy, luscious drink. £44. At vinatis.co.uk
Unbelievably gorgeous bottle, unbelievably good champagne. The Petal Robe’s design draws inspiration from the liquid of the iconic, berries-and-cherries rosé itself; famously, one of the few rosé champagnes made by drawing the juice from black grapes, rather than blending red and white. £98. At selfridges.co.uk
Marking its 175th anniversary, Searcys limited-edition Blanc De Blancs Champagne is the proper definition of a celebratory bottle. The champagne itself is from Chardonnay grapes from an Ecocert-certified vineyard and, with only 5,000 bottles produced, it’s fairly exclusive. £50. At searcys.co.uk
Superb in both structure and, well, sparkle (see: a mousse that really lasts), Piaff’s Blanc De Blancs is a true delight. There’s a unique hint of almonds and fresh hazelnuts on the nose, leading into a beautifully-balanced palate of crisp minerality and stone fruit. £69. At amathusdrinks.com
A vivacious and idiosyncratic example of all that makes Taittinger a leading Champagne house, the 2015 Vintage leads with aromas of hawthorn and grapefruit and pear, underpinned by a light minerality and soft smokiness. It’s citrus, reimagined. £55. At ocado.com
Naked Wines is famed for its partnerships with independent winemakers, and this Champagne is no exception. JP Moulin (a.k.a. the guy behind Ruinart, Mumm and Baron de Rothschild Champagne) created the Vintage especially for the brand, and it rivals many double its price. £32. At nakedwines.com
Champagne – and we’re talking about the region of France, rather than the bubbles themselves here – has a fairly notorious winemaking legacy. As the sole producer of Champagne, the region’s vineyards span some 84,000 acres across Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, The Aube, and more.
As with any other type of wine, the flavours in Champagne can vary greatly from bottle to bottle. As a rule of thumb, citric, creamy and toast-like notes form the foundation of most Champagnes. The differentiator (and, often, benchmark for quality) tends to come in Champagne’s fruitier notes; on the lighter end, you might taste grapefruit and mandarin, while stone fruits such as peaches, apricots and prunes are found in many high-end champagnes.
“Depending on the composition of the wine, the grapes present will allow you to taste what you’re looking for,” says expert sommelier and co-owner of two Michelin-starred Kitchen Table, Sandia Chang. "A basic guideline is that Chardonnay provides a lot of citrus and green fruit flavours, such as green apple, lemon and gooseberries; Pinot Noir provides a lot of red fruits, such as strawberries, red currants, cherries and red apples; and Pinot Meunier provides a lot of structure and spice notes, such as liquorice and nutmeg.
“I believe happy grapes make good wine," Chang continues. “If the producer uses or takes care of good quality grapes in the vineyard, it will reflect on the result of the wine. Balance is always a good key for quality; it shouldn’t be too acidic, too fruity or too oaky. Producers are very much like chefs concocting a soup or a sauce – they wouldn’t want it to be too salty or too sweet, per se.”
Champagne, long-held as crème de la crème of sparkling wine, is exclusive to the Champagne region – but it’s not just about the location. True Champagne uses the meticulous ‘méthode traditionnelle’ double fermentation process, in which the wine’s secondary fermentation happens inside the bottle (creating those all-important bubbles). All Champagne is made using this process, and tends to utilize a grape blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay.
When looking for Champagne specifically, you’ll usually be choosing between cuvée or brut varieties. Cuvée is referring to the first pressed (or most desirable) grape juice in the production and can often denote higher quality. Brut is more common in sparkling wines and contains less residual sugar.
Prosecco is the sweetheart of Italy’s sparkling wine scene. Hailing primarily from the Veneto region, Prosecco relies on Glera grapes and is produced through the Charmat method (a tank fermentation process that results in a crisp, fruit-forward profile). Because of this, Prosecco tends to feel both lighter and sweeter.
Cava, the Spanish equivalent, is actually more similar to Champagne than Prosecco. Despite using traditional Spanish grapes like Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo, Cava’s own méthode traditionnelle production keeps the bubbles fine and the palate packed with minerality.
Crémant is likely the closest comparison to Champagne, as a French sparkling wine produced using the same method, yet coming from other regions. Typically, Crémants tend to feel a bit creamier and drier than Champagnes, but this varies by producer. In essence, each of these sparkling wonders has its roots deeply embedded in its terroir, celebrating the traditions and flavours of its origin.
Dosage, put simply, is a way to balance out the acidity in the wine. “Champagne has always been a terroir that doesn't get much warmth and sunshine in the year,” Chang explains. “These wines tend to not produce enough sugar so the wine maker needs to balance the acidity with sugar to be nice to drink.”
It is typically a mixture of pure cane sugar and reserve wine (old enough to ensure zero fermentation) and most of the time, unless you’re drinking a Demi-sec, you will not taste the sweetness. “What you’ll most likely taste with higher dosage Champagne are riper fruit characteristics and a rounder feeling on the palate. If the dosage is done right, you wouldn’t even know it was ever there.”
While Champagne’s history is rich with ceremony (see: sabrage and smashing over the bow of a ship on its maiden voyage), they’re not all that practical for daily use, so it is important to get the serve just right – lest you look the fool. The optimal temperature should be cold but not too cold. Think just a degree or two above fridge temperature; you can leave it in an ice bucket, but not for hours on end.
When it comes to pouring, you could go for either a coupe or flute? Real aficionados would tell you neither are quite right for temperature and nose combined, but a flute is probably the more practical of the two (tulip-shaped glasses are my personal preference, as they keep better control of the bubbles). If you’re going to go the extra mile and get some caviar in for the occasion (and why wouldn’t you?), look for a brut champagne with good acidity to balance the salt.
