15 Best Champagnes For The Holidays

“In a perfect world, everyone would have a glass of champagne every evening.” ~ Charles Dickens

The holidays are here!  It’s the most wonderful time of the year, with bubbles flowing all around.  It is a season of soirees, office parties, holiday dinners, and New Year’s celebrations.  Whether you are celebrating with just one person or a crowd, be sure to have the bubbles ready, cause Champagne is the ultimate wine for the holidays.

This is the time of year to pull out all the stops and impress the heck out of your friends and family, and there is no better way than with Champagne.  It is a special time of year when no ordinary bubbles will suffice, it has to be Champagne.  And just a friendly reminder – Champagne is only Champagne if it comes from Champagne, France.

15 Best Champagnes For The Holidays

Here is a roundup of our 15 best Champagnes for the holidays, from collectibles to everyday staples. These bottles are sure to set the celebratory mood of the holidays. Not only are these Champagnes simply delicious, but they also express tradition, complexity, history,  terroir and a sense of place that is undeniably Champagne.

 Rare Rosé Millésime 2012 – The Virtuoso Vintage ($450)

Rare Rosé 2012 is only the third release since the Maison’s inception in 1976.  This  newest Rare Rosé Champagne reveal also marks a long-term commitment to supporting environmental causes.  Rare Rosé Millésime 2012 is a prestige cuvée that balances three distinct aromas: floral, fruit, and spices. The bottle is adorned with a jeweled tiara making it the perfect holiday Champagne for those royal moments.  You may choose to hold on to this bottle for an investment or to indulge now for a New Year’s celebration to remember.

Henriot Millésime 2012 ($100)

When Apolline Henriot founded the Maison in 1808, she wanted to pay tribute to nature through a vintage Champagne, Henriot Millésime is the interpretation of a singular year, the reflection of the terroirs characteristic of that year. Henriot Millésime 2012 is characterized by its aromatic complexity. The wine is in motion with a succession of aromatic notes: summer flowers, meringue, ripe fruits, chalk and minerality.  On the palate, it’s the same ballet coming together, which makes this Champagne so unique and compelling.   Henriot Millésime 2012 demonstrates all the qualities that have made Champagne so famous.

Piper-Heidsieck ‘Essentiel’ Cuvée Réservée Extra Brut ($70)

Piper Heidsieck Essentiel Cuvée Réservée Champagne has been designed to symbolize the essence of the Piper Heidsieck Champagne House. This extra brut style of champagne is aged for a minimum of 4 years in the cellars, the slow maturation delivers a wine that is complex and elegant with a persistent finish. Its magnificent structure, balance and freshness ensure that this extra-brut represents the iconic style of the House.  This wine is specially made for Champagne aficionados and will rock any New Year’s Eve Party.

Lanson Le Black Label Brut ($50)

Founded in 1760, Lanson is one of the oldest Champagne Houses. Lanson Le Black Label is lively in the flute, with a fine stream of persistent bubbles. Its fresh aromas combine the impression of vitality and springtime scents, together with hints of toast and honey. On the palate, bouquets of ripe fruits and citrus create a sensation of opulence yet lightness.  Lanson Champagne brings people together. They are made to be gifted and shared with our cherished ones.

This holiday season celebrate with G.H. Mumm Grand Cordon Champagne. Famous for its red ribbon label embossed on each bottle, no gift wrapping is required for this elegant bubbly.  Whether you are toasting the holidays, celebrating friendships, or ringing in the New Year, the exceptional fresh intensity of this cuvée evokes the exhilaration of life’s most unforgettable moments.  One sip and Mumm Grand Cordon unleashes intense, complex flavors that morph into a long, lingering finish.

DS (Dunoyer de Segonzac) Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut 2015

DS (Dunoyer de Segonzac) Champagne is a rare boutique Champagne house specializing in Blanc de Blanc vintage champagne. If you like Champagne with complexity and character, then this  Blanc de Blancs 2015 Premier Cru Extra Brut will light up your palate. Dunoyer de Segonzac 2015 Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut is extraordinary. Producing only 10,000 bottles each year, they may be the smallest boutique Champagne House in the region.  If you are looking for a Champagne that is special and rare, Dunoyer de Segonzac is a great choice.

Cristal 2014 by Louis Roederer ($350)

Cristal is the flagship cuvée of Champagne Louis Roederer, created in 1876 for Czar Alexander II of Russia.  The 2014 is a radiant vintage that is emerging, already quite a charmer yet still with such immense potential ahead of it. Of Domaine Cristal’s 45 historical vineyard plots, only 39 were selected to go into the final blend this year, those in which the grapes reflected the true identity of this unique wine: purity of fruit, remarkable finesse and elegant length.  It is ready to be enjoyed in its youth but can also be further cellar aged to allow it to attain the complexity of a magnificent maturity.  This luxury cuvée will add a bit of pomp and pageantry to your holiday celebration.

Palmer & Co Grands Terroirs 2015 ($140)

In 1947, seven well-established and visionary winegrowers came together in a joint quest for ultimate perfection and founded Champagne Palmer & Co. Grands Terroirs is a combination of the prestigious Premiers and Grands Crus vineyards of the Montagne de Reims and the remarkable savoir-faire of Palmer & Co. The grapes harvested from these ‘Grands Terroirs’ are known for their power, structure and nobility. The palate is characterized by freshness, with citrus fruits sublimating the notes of brioche and dried fruits. Its creamy texture stretches deliciously into a persistent finish.  This wine is irresistible right now and the perfect pour for the holidays.  It is a perfect wine to make a celebratory toast.

Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Louis Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2008 ($200)

Oldest continuously family-owned House, Billecart-Salmon was founded in 1818 by the marriage of Nicolas Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon. For over two hundred years, the House has developed renowned expertise in crafting fine, elegant and balanced Champagnes.  This cuvée was named in tribute to Louis, Elisabeth Salmon’s brother, who was passionate about enology and highly involved in winemaking from the earliest creation of the House. Originating from the best parcels of the Côte des Blancs, the Blanc de Blancs vintage is endowed with purity and minerality.  This powerful wine with a majestic typicity prolongs its finish towards an aromatic persistence of incredible length. Bring this champagne to your next holiday celebration and you will be the life of the party.

Suenen Champagne C+C Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru ($90)

Suenen is a top grower producer. They farm organically in a cool and rainy region, which requires meticulous care and attention at every stage of the vintage.
Aurelien Suenen’s wonderfully composed Champagnes manage to be both intellectually stimulating and irresistibly delicious. The C+C Blanc de Blanc cuvée is a base 2017 vintage, made with 100% Chardonnay.  Expressive aromas of chalk, lime, pear, and white flowers abound in this pristine and crisp Champagne. Make Suenen Blanc de Blanc a top priority on your holiday list.

Champagne Mandois Blanc de Blancs Brut 2017 ($65)

The “birth certificate’ of the Mandois vineyards dates back to 1735 when the family decided to acquire some vineyards in Champagne.  Champagne Mandois is now available around the world and is reputed to be among the great Champagne Houses of Epernay.  The Mandois Blanc de Blancs Brut 2017 has a delicate and fresh nose of white-fleshed fruit and floral notes. The palate is faithful to the nose with fruity and floral notes, revealing a particularly harmonious wine. This exuberant bubbly will turn any gathering into a celebration.

Champagne Leclerc Briant Extra Brut Rosé ($75)

Leclerc Briant is a trailblazing Champagne house producing wines of singular energy and nerve.  They were early adopters of organic practices and pioneered the concept of single-vineyard Champagne beginning in the 1970’s. The goal is gastronomic Champagne: wines intended for the table that brim with energy and articulate their terroir. Leclerc Brut Rosé is racy and high-toned.  The wine is showing the texture and richness that comes from nearly three years of aging on its lees.  This pink sparkler is great any time of day or night and will impress even the finest palates.

Vollereaux Reserve Brut Champagne ($45)

Champagne Vollereaux is called upon to add sparkle to any special event. A bubbly that is becoming synonymous with joy, happiness and cheerfulness. For six generations, the Vollereaux family’s attention to detail has been reflected in each bottle, leaving a finished product that delivers a fresh, light, elegant and fruity profile.  The Vollereaux Reserve Brut has aromas of white fruits and honey.  The palate is creamy and supple with beautiful weight and perfect harmony.  With its casual-chic style, Champagne Vollereaux creates the occasion and elevates any moment.

Taittinger Prestige Brut ($55)

Taittinger Prestige Brut is the perfect addition for a celebration, a dinner party or a small gathering! Taittinger is a delicately balanced Champagne, known for its consistently excellent quality.  The Prestige Brut contains a higher proportion of the finer Chardonnay grape than other nonvintage Champagnes, giving elegance and freshness to the wine. There’s no better way to ring in the New Year, than with a bottle of Taittinger Prestige Brut.