Let’s learn a little more about Etienne Dumont, and then look at three ways to step up your Champagne game, shall we?

About Etienne Dumont Champagne

If you’re not familiar with it, here’s the deal: Etienne Dumont Champagne is a non-vintage Brut Champagne. It is produced by Maison Burtin in Epernay, a town in Champagne.

Champagnes like this are not intended for the luxury market like Cristal. No, these are more in the style of “own brands” for supermarkets and wine stores. More important than brand recognition is that they have a consistent (good) taste and can be sold at relatively low prices. Etienne Dumont Champagne ticks both boxes.

Tasting Etienne Dumont Champagne

The plus side of sparkling wines like Etienne Dumont is that you know what you’re getting, and the price is usually right. On the downside, that consistent taste is usually on the blander side. It tastes how Champagne “should” taste, rather than reflecting the particular terroir of a Grand Cru Champagne village or a distinctive house style. It doesn’t taste bad – far from it – but it’s not the most exciting thing you’ll ever drink.

• Sight:

  Clean, light gold colour with nice racy bubbles. It looks the part, for sure.

• Smell:

  Citrus fruits dominate, with a little bit of yeast too.

• Taste:

  In the mouth, this is quite round and creamy. You’ve got citrus again, and some bready notes. A textbook Brut Champagne.

There’s nothing wrong with you wanting to buy Etienne Dumont Champagne or other supermarket wines. If that’s your thing, go for it. Some wine snobs may turn their nose up at the idea, but who cares?

What you can do, however, is step your Champagne game up with our three top tips.

3 top tips for enjoying Champagne

Whether you’ve got a bottle of Etienne Dumont or an old vintage of Krug Clos du Mesnil, there are little ways that you can enhance your Champagne experience. You don’t always need to spend a fortune on your Champagne to enjoy it like a king or queen!

1. Temperature is everything

Serving Champagne at the right temperature makes all the difference. Champagne – and most sparkling wines – are at their best when served well chilled, between 6°C and 10°C. This will take your bottle down to around 10°C within half an hour.

2. Sabre your Champagne (it’s classier)

It may seem a little over the top, particularly for an inexpensive bottle like Etienne Dumont Champagne, but sabrage is undeniably a cool-looking way to open your bottle of bubbly. It’s not easy, and it’s very dangerous, but it looks good. Best not to try this at home, though and leave it to a professional.

3. Champagne and food pairing

Pairing sparkling wine and food can be a lot of fun. Far from being just an appetiser, dry Champagne like Etienne Dumont can pair well with a surprisingly wide range of foods. The acidity in the wine is your friend, opening up a lot of possibilities. Perhaps the classic pairing is Champagne and oysters, though virtually any seafood will work well. For us, Champagne and sushi is a seriously underrated pairing!

Do you have any Champagne tips to share with us? Leave a comment below!

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A 30-second history of Pommery Champagne

Pommery Champagne was founded in Reims in 1858 by Alexandre Louis Pommery and Narcisse Greno. In those early days, the company was known as Pommery & Greno, and its primary business was not Champagne, but wool. It was Pommery’s widow, however, that would develop Pommery Champagne into one of the world’s leading producers of sparkling wine.

Pommery Champagne and the Lady of the Roses

Madame Louise Pommery, Alexandre Louis’ widow, is one of the most iconic women in the history of wine. It was her influence, either directly or indirectly, that led to the success of the Pommery Champagne house. She took over the company in 1860 and undertook various innovative initiatives that forged the very identity of Pommery.

Nicknamed “The Lady of the Roses”, Madame Pommery will go down in history as a true champion of Champagne.

The secrets to Pommery Champagne’s success

1. Pommery Champagne was among the first to use underground cellars

Today, many of the great Champagne houses use the network of crayères – underground pits of limestone and chalk – to store and age their wine. This underground environment has all the natural characteristics needed to store wine in a cool, dark place and at a constant, ideal temperature. Visitors to Champagne today will be shown proudly around the various underground tunnels and cellars, but they were not always used in this way.

Madame Pommery was one of the very first to make use of the crayères for this purpose. She bought up some 120 crayères and effectively created the modern Champagne cellar.

2. Pommery invented Brut Champagne…

Way back in 1874, Brut Champagne was not the commercial heavyweight it is today. Sweet or demi-sec Champagne was in fashion when Madame Pommery made the bold move to introduce a bone-dry style. Madame Pommery charged Pommery Champagne’s Cellar Director, Olivier Demas, with the challenge.

It was no mean feat, but Monsieur Demas rose to the challenge. Pommery Nature 1874 was the first Brut Champagne to hit the market. The dry, racy and finesse of the style became an instant classic and inspired many imitators. Most Champagne houses today consider their Brut to be the benchmark for everything else they produce, representing the very essence of the house style and brand. This all started with Pommery Champagne.

3. …and hasn’t stopped innovating since!

Madame Pommery has long since passed away, of course, but her innovative and creative spirit surely lives on. Champagne is often seen as a conservative and old-fashioned wine region, though there are innovators at work here without a doubt. Pommery Champagne is one of the leaders of this charge and always has been. Whether it’s eco-friendly Champagne, launching a Champagne for each season or even the introduction of a 200ml portable Champagne, there is no signs of stopping.

Tasting Pommery Champagne

The first Brut Pommery Champagne, Pommery Nature, is long gone. Today, the house’s flagship non-vintage Brut is Pommery Brut Royal, a rather classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

• Sight:

  Pale yellow with a little green here and there, nice fine bubbles.

• Smell:

  Lively and tingly in the nose, with fresh fruits and some bready, yeasty notes.

• Taste:

  Elegant, fine and refreshing. Some berry fruit flavour and some toasted notes. The finish is very pleasant and long-lasting.

Alcohol content: 12,5%

Serve between 4ºC and 8ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2017-2018

Best served in Champagne Glass

Pairing: Appetizers, Bluefish, Fowl, Seafood, Soft Cheese, Whitefish.

La entrada The secrets to Pommery Champagne’s success se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

For those of you that may not be entirely convinced when it comes to Ruinart and other iconic Champagnes, the question becomes: Is the Ruinart Champagne price fair? Does Ruinart Champagne offer value for money, despite its relatively high price?

Let’s take a look.

How does the Ruinart Champagne price compare with other labels?

Ruinart Champagne is a luxury brand, and its positioning within the Champagne category is pretty high-end. The Ruinart identity is different to that of, for example, Moët & Chandon, despite the fact that both houses are owned by the same parent company. Where Moët & Chandon and its special cuvée Dom Pérignon are unashamed symbols of luxury, Ruinart is more discreet and subtle.

It’s a unique brand. Ruinart has a small, loyal following of discerning wine lovers. It’s not a flashy Champagne, less at home in nightclubs and more in restaurants. As a result, it’s hard to compare Ruinart Champagne prices with most other Champagne brands on a like-for-like basis.

Many non-vintage Brut Champagnes are more or less interchangeable. When it comes to Champagne as a gift or for a toast, most bottles will do the trick – Mumm Cordon Rouge, Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label or Möet & Chandon Imperial. Of course, each wine is different, but they can all serve a similar purpose. Quality Champagnes, reliable and consistent styles and instantly recognisable brand names. Unsurprisingly, most of these houses’ non-vintage wines are quite similar in price.

Ruinart’s non-vintage Champagne is a little more expensive. Why?

Why Ruinart Champagne’s prices are higher

For a start, there’s less of it made. Total production at Ruinart is around 2.5 million bottles per year, across all its cuvées. That’s dwarfed by other labels like Mumm (5 million bottles), Veuve Clicquot (10 million bottles) and Moët & Chandon (26 million bottles).

Smaller production can mean higher production costs, thanks to fewer economies of scale, and scarcity, which pushes up demand. Both push up prices, sooner or later. As part of the LVMH group, economies of scale and production costs are hardly a paramount concern. With Ruinart, the bigger issue is surely scarcity.

Supply of Ruinart Champagne is lower than many other brands from the get-go, and distribution is strictly controlled. You may notice that you don’t often see bottles of Ruinart in nightclubs or at the supermarket. You certainly won’t see the sort of big marketing campaigns typical of some “louder” Champagnes.

This is more of a specialist’s sparkling wine, for connoisseurs and future connoisseurs – that the average Ruinart Champagne price may be a little higher than some competitors is not a big problem, so much as what’s in the bottle itself. In that regard, its price is more than fair: Ruinart Champagne is not cheap, but its quality ensures that it’s always good value.

If you’re curious to know what’s in the bottle, read on. Let’s finish up with a quick tasting of Ruinart’s non-vintage Brut.

Tasting Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut

For most Champagne houses, the non-vintage Brut is their flagship wine. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ruinart does things a little differently. Ruinart is best known for its 100% Chardonnay, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. In the interest of comparison and contrast, however, we’re looking at Ruinart R de Ruinart, the non-vintage Brut.

• Sight:

  Its colour is a deep gold, and its mousse is intense and long-lasting.

• Smell:

  There’s an explosion of aromas here. First, it’s fruit. Citrus fruits like lemon and lime are joined by white apple and pear. Stick with it and you’ll pick up some pastry and yeast aromas, finishing with a floral note. This is seriously complex for what is effectively the house’s entry-level wine.

• Taste:

  There is surprising body here, particularly when compared to some of the more famous non-vintage Champagnes out there. This is kept in balance with tingling acidity, however, making for a very harmonious palate indeed. The finish is long and memorable.

Alcohol content: 12%

Serve between 4ºC and 8ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2017-2018

Best served in Champagne Glass

Pairing: Appetizers, Bluefish, Fowl, Seafood, Soft Cheese, Whitefish.

Buy Ruinart R de Ruinart here.

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This beginner’s guide will teach you everything you need to know to appreciate Piper-Heidsieck wines. History? Yep. Winemaking? Why not! Wine tasting? You bet. We’ve even got some Piper-Heidsieck Champagne food pairings for you to try.

A brief history of Piper-Heidsieck

Few wine regions on the earth can boast as dramatic and storied a history as Champagne. For centuries, Champagne has been the drink of choice for kings and queens, tsars, presidents and more. There are family affairs to rival Game of Thrones or Downton Abbey. Lest we forget, the Champagne vineyard was also ravaged by war not so long ago. Each of the major Champagne houses has its own storied history, and Piper-Heidsieck is, of course, no exception.

• 1785:

  One Florens-Louis Heidsieck, a German who had discovered Champagne some years earlier, founded the company that would become Piper-Heidsieck Champagne. Originally known as Heidsieck & Cie, the company had the ambition to create a cuvée to impress Marie Antoinette. Whether you consider her a brand ambassador or a very early case of influencer marketing, Marie was enraptured by the wine and Piper-Heidsieck was set for big things.

• 1828:

  Florens-Louis passed away, and his nephew Christian stepped in to continue the family legacy. Christian’s trusted associate and colleague Henri-Guillaume Piper joined him and the two managed to elevate the company’s already sterling reputation, going on to secure numerous lucrative royal warrants.

• 1838:

  Following Christian’s sudden death in 1835, his widow remarried – with Henri-Guillaume Piper, of all people. Their marriage secured the bond between the Heidsieck and Piper families, and hence the name Piper-Heidsieck was born.

• 1885:

  The first Piper-Heidsieck prestige cuvée was created. Its luxurious bottle was handcrafted by the master jeweller to Russian Tsar Alexander III. Since then, Piper-Heidsieck Champagne has shared a bond with fine jewellery.

• 1933:

  A bottle of Piper-Heidsieck became the first Champagne to appear on the big screen, in the Laurel & Hardy movie Sons of the Desert. Hollywood’s love affair with Piper-Heidsieck has never abated, and it has appeared in numerous memorable films since. Marilyn Monroe was a particularly influential fan of the brand. In 1993, Piper-Heidsieck became the official Champagne supplier of the Cannes Film Festival.

• 1942:

  As war raged on throughout Europe, the house and cellars of Piper-Heidsieck were used to conceal weapons for the French resistance, before ultimately becoming occupied by the Germans. The house and its reputation managed to survive the war and thrive from then on.

• 2011:

  Following a period of ownership by luxury goods group Rémy Cointreau, Piper-Heidsieck was bought by the Descours family of the EPI group.

How Piper-Heidsieck Champagne is made

The house of Piper-Heidsieck does not own any vineyards. Its business is to buy grapes from the many Champagne growers in the region and to use these raw materials to vinify, blend, bottle, age and eventually sell world-class sparkling wine.

As with all Champagne, Piper-Heidsieck is produced using the traditional method. Also called the “Champagne method”, this is a lengthy and expensive process involving a second alcoholic fermentation that takes place in the bottle. It is this secondary fermentation that gives Champagne its sparkle. Piper-Heidsieck’s different cuvées will each have slightly different production methods and blends.

Let’s open a bottle and see what the end result tastes like, shall we?

Tasting Piper-Heidsieck Champagne

The Piper-Heidsieck wine range has something for every type of Champagne lover. Perhaps best known is Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut, its non-vintage Brut Champagne. If you really want to get a measure of a Champagne house, try their non-vintage wine. This is the flagship for most producers, and if it’s good (or isn’t), that’ll usually give you an idea about the rest of the range.

• Sight:

  It’s got a light colour with what looks like a million fine, racy bubbles.

• Smell:

  On the nose, it’s got floral aromas, fresh apricot and peach fruits and some bready and yeasty notes.

• Taste:

  In the mouth, this is crisp and refined. The vibrant acidity is refreshing and decidedly more-ish. The finish is long and elegant.

Alcohol content: 12%

Serve between 4ºC and 8ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2017-2018

Best served in Champagne Glass

Food pairing with Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut

The beauty of Champagne is that it’s good anytime, anywhere. Food or no food, Champagne is a versatile drink to match just about any occasion. For this Piper-Heidsieck Champagne, we recommend:

• French-style fruits de la mer:

  If you’ve ever been to a traditional French market, you’ll know this dish. It’s a big platter of the freshest seafood you’ve ever seen. You’ve got oysters, prawns, sea snails, crab and more. All totally fresh and straight out of the sea. The crisp acidity and delicate flavour of the Piper-Heidsieck will go down a treat.

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Bollinger Special Cuvée: The basics

First things first: Bollinger Special Cuvée is the non-vintage wine of Champagne Bollinger, one of the top Champagne houses in the Aÿ region. Non-vintage Champagne, you may remember, is produced by blending base wines from a number of different vintages. Producers do this in order to achieve a consistent house style from one year to the next. The climate in Champagne is lousy and vintage variation is huge, so this is generally impossible to do with the wine from one single year.

Bollinger Special Cuvée is one of the most iconic non-vintage Champagne labels, alongside other top wines like Louis Roederer Brut Premier, Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial and Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label. It’s in good company! The benefit of these wines is that you get a taste of the very best Champagne houses, at a relatively affordable price.

A simple Bollinger Special Cuvée technical sheet

Keeping it simple, here’s what you need to know when it comes to the technical and production aspects of Bollinger Special Cuvée. It’s not crucial to your enjoyment, but being familiar with this stuff will help you understand and appreciate Champagne all the more!

• The blend involves the three classic Champagne grape varieties: You’ve got 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier. More than 85% of the grapes used come from Grand Cru Champagne vineyards.
• The wine is aged in Bollinger’s cellars for at least three years, considerably longer than the minimum requirement by the official Champagne appellation.
• Bollinger Special Cuvée is a Brut Champagne, with a dosage of just 8-9 grams of residual sugar per litre. In plain English: it’s a dry Champagne with only minimal sugar!

Tasting Bollinger Special Cuvée

Though it’s not cheap, Bollinger Special Cuvée is relatively affordable, and represents great value for Champagne. If you’re not sure whether or not to trade up to Bollinger from a Prosecco or Cava, this might help. Here’s what you can expect when you pop the cork:

• Visually, there’s a brilliant gold colour, with lots of fine bubbles. It’s a very pretty Champagne.
• On the nose, it’s complex. You’ve got fruit and you’ve got spice. It develops in the glass and you’ll find sensations of apple and peach. Very enticing!
• Take a sip, and you’ll find the palate incredibly smooth and well-balanced. There’s racy bubbles and acidity, and beautiful fruit flavours giving way to toasted brioche. Incredibly refreshing.

What to eat with Bollinger Special Cuvée

Champagne is the perfect aperitif and rarely needs any food. However, it is a surprisingly versatile food wine, and Bollinger Special Cuvée is no exception. Serve it to your guests with nibbles and party food, or, if you’re feeling a little more ambitious, consider pairing it with chicken parmesan, or a herb crusted fish pie.

Sound good? Buy a bottle of Bollinger Special Cuvée here.

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So Why is Moet Chandon Rosé Pink?

Here’s how you can earn a few quiz points. Most rose wine is made from leaving the juice in contact with the red grape skins for less than 24 hours, before the juice is then macerated out of contact with the skins. However champagne makers actually blend red and white wine together in order to create that characteristic colour. Indeed pink champagne is the only quality rosé in the EU that is allowed to be made in this way.

What Grapes Give Moet & Chandon Rose its Flavour?

The wine uses the traditional champagne grapes:

• Chardonnay. This adds acidity, floral and citrus flavours. It is also lighter bodied, with fine bubbles.
• Pinot Meunier. This variety gives an easy to drink fruitiness.
• Pinot Noir adds length and body to sparkling wine. As a pure red wine, it has aromas of raspberries, strawberries and cherries, which are usually found on the palette as well.

Two of these, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, are black grapes, which often surprises people as champagne is usually white. All of these grapes working in symphony to give the champagne its distinctive flavour, and because fully macerated red wine made from black grapes has been added, the champagne has more ‘red flavours’.

The Flavour Profile of a Moet & Chandon Rosé

Moet & Chandon Rosé

If you are buying wine to match bridesmaids dresses, it fills a glass with copper tones. If you’re buying the wine to actually drink it, that’s an excellent idea. There is a strong nose of wild cherries, and to taste, it is full bodied, with strong zesty fruit flavours.

A Good Option if You’re Giving it as a Gift

Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé Gift Box 2004

The company has put the champagne in a very smart presentation box. Just imagine a happy couple enjoying breakfast the day after their wedding with a glass of pink champagne. Better yet, imagine enjoying Valentines Day with a glass of it that you “gifted to your partner”. Joking aside, 2004 was a very good year for champagne. If you can get your hands on a bottle, do, and explain to the recipient how lucky they are.

What Food Does Moet Rosé Pair With?

This is brilliant with charcuterie. Have a few slices of prosciutto with the glass of Moet rose and enjoy the pleasing combination of red fruit flavours with the red meat. The light meat texture matches the slightly fuller bodied sparkling wine. Also remember that the addition of red wine means that there’s more tannin in this sparkling wine, which will help to break down the meat proteins. The 2004 version has also been aged in oak. That will mean that it pairs better with smokier meats as well, and will have some honeyish, toasty notes. It would go very well with honey cured ham.

More Sparkling Ideas for Your Big Occasion:

If you’re still wondering what wine to get for a big day, we’ve got tonnes more advice. This article on gold champagne discusses a very decadent style of the sparkling wine, or if you’re looking for a more artisanal approach, our article on grower champagne looks at the exciting things being done by small producers.

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La entrada We’re Tickled Pink with Moet Rosé se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

Of course, Champagne and Prosecco are really very different drinks, made in different ways and arguably with different consumers in mind. For the price-conscious consumer that values fun and conviviality over technical winemaking, Prosecco will win hands down. There is one sparkling wine that has the dual advantage of superior winemaking techniques and favourable prices, and that’s Spanish Cava!

Fans of Da Luca Prosecco and similar wines should read on, as we’ve laid on three top Cava wines that we guarantee you’ll love!

Why you should drink Cava instead of Da Luca Prosecco

Cava, like Champagne, is made using a costly and labour intensive process called the traditional method. In a nutshell, the wine undergoes two separate fermentation, the second of which takes place in the bottle. The second fermentation gives the wine its sparkle, and the process overall produces wines that have character, complexity and nuance.

Da Luca Prosecco, and many other inexpensive sparkling wines, are produced using a process called the tank method. This is a cheaper and quicker technique, whereby the second fermentation takes place in large sealed tanks. Costs are lower, so the finished wine is cheaper. Great. The process is simpler and does not usually allow for yeast autolysis, a process that gives Cava or Champagne yeast flavours. The wine is cheaper, but it is also considerably simpler and less interesting.

With expensive, complex Champagne at one extreme and cheap, simple Prosecco at the other, Cava presents a happy medium. With Cava, you benefit from the traditional method without paying the price. Ditch the Da Luca Prosecco, then, and try one of our top alternatives!

3 Cava alternatives to Da Luca Prosecco

Great Cava doesn’t have to cost a fortune, you just need to know what to look for. We’ve picked out three of our customers’ favourites, and we’re sure that you’ll love them, too! Even better, they’re all available for less than €10!

1. Castillo Perelada Brut Reserva is our best-selling Cava, and it’s easy to see why. Available even cheaper than Da Luca Prosecco, this Cava serious overperforms for its price. Fresh, dry and fruity, this also has layers of complexity that you simply won’t find in a Prosecco. Try this one with Thai fishcakes.
2. Jané Ventura Reserva De La Música Brut Nature 2013 is made in the Brut Nature style, which is increasingly popular among wine lovers today. This is absolutely bone dry and has excellent acidity that’ll leave your mouth watering and wanting more. At 90 points from Robert Parker, this really should cost a lot more than it does! Served with oysters, this is sensational!
3. Roger Goulart Brut Nature Reserva is another Brut Nature Cava, and perfectly exhibits the buckets of complexity with which a simpler wine like Da Luca Prosecco simply cannot compete. This is perfect to serve with just about any appetisers or small plates you can think of, as its acidity provides a great match for a wide variety of foods.

Have you ever tried Da Luca Prosecco? Will you try one of our recommendations instead?

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Louis Roederer Brut Premier vs. Cristal

OK, so let’s see what we’re dealing with here. To compare these two premium Champagnes, we’re going to need a bottle of each (hard work, we know!). Those of you that want to play along can find these wines here:

• Louis Roederer Brut Premier

• Louis Roederer Cristal 2000

Bottles chilled, opened and ready to go? Great, let’s have a taste…

Tasting Louis Roederer Brut Premier

Champagne houses tend to produce their non-vintage Champagne in a consistent and signature house style, year in and year out. The importance of blending in Champagne production cannot be overestimated, and expert producers may blend up to 70 different base wines in order to achieve the right style.

Louis Roederer Brut Premier is Roederer’s non-vintage Brut Champagne, and is rightly recognised as one of the very best. This is no accident, as the wine is meticulously blended so that each bottle you pick up will offer the same sort of wine tasting experience. The Brut Premier style focuses on “freshness, finesse and brightness”, according to cellarmaster Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. Do we agree with him? Let’s have a virtual taste:

• The colour of Louis Roederer Brut Premier is a bright gold, and lots of fine bubbles are visual cues towards the wine’s quality
• On the nose, there are lots of bright, fresh fruit aromas
• The palate is deliciously smooth and refreshing, with complex notes ranging from white fruits to red berries and yeast flavours

Overall, a delicious Brut Champagne with a lot of complexity. It’s the perfect aperitif, though will also match well with oysters and other fruits de la mer. Louis Roederer Brut Premier is not exactly cheap, but offers a very strong quality/price ratio. How does that compare with Cristal, then?

Tasting Louis Roederer Cristal 2000

One of the most iconic Champagne labels out there, Cristal needs no introduction. Originally created specially for Russian Tsar Alexander II, this is surely one of the world’s most famous wines. As a vintage Champagne, Cristal will taste different from one year to the next, but again there is an overarching style. Says Lécaillon, “Cristal is both powerful and delicate, combining subtlety and precision.” It’s not every day that you can open a bottle like this, so drink vicariously with us:

• Visually, it has a brilliant, glistening yellow-gold colour and a mousse of incredibly fine bubbles – note that Cristal is bottled in clear glass to show off its wonderful colour
• On the nose, Cristal 2000 has subtle, nuanced aromatics of citrus, lime and apricot, with an underlying toasty and brioche character
• On the palate, this wine is deceptively delicate, incredibly well-balanced and has a seemingly never-ending finish

The verdict: Louis Roederer Brut Premier or Cristal?

So, how did they compare? It really depends on what you’re looking for. In terms of price, there’s no comparison: Louis Roederer costs a mere fraction of the price of Cristal, so there’s that. Regarding flavour and taste, both wines have a lot to offer, though there is nothing quite like the subtle nuance of Cristal – despite its reputation, there is nothing flashy about it! In the end, the choice is yours: If you can afford it, Cristal is an exceptional experience for any wine lover. If you’d rather not spend hundreds of euro, but want to treat yourself: Louis Roederer Brut Premier offers a lot of luxury for a relatively little price!

Which do you prefer, Louis Roederer Brut Premier or Louis Roederer Cristal?

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Why is the Veuve Clicquot gift edition so popular?

Champagne has long been associated with celebration, and for many is the perfect wine gift. In designing its gift box packaging, Veuve Clicquot has smartly tapped into a lucrative market. What could be better than a Champagne gift? Well, simple: One that already comes in its own beautiful gift box. With the Veuve Clicquot gift box, there is no need for wrapping paper, fancy gift bags or anything else. It’s all there in the packaging, and the recipient instantly recognises it as a truly luxury product!

Why buy the Veuve Clicquot gift box

While many Champagne houses release gift box packaging as part of temporary or seasonal promotions, you can pick up a Veuve Clicquot gift pack any time of the year. What’s more, it’s available in the Yellow Label Brut style as well as the Rosé style.

• Buy the Brut Yellow Label Veuve Clicquot gift box here

• Buy the rosé Veuve Clicquot gift box here

As to why you should opt for a gift box instead of a bottle by itself? Remember that presentation is everything! Particularly if you are trying to impress a love interest, or show a friend that you really care, the gift box makes an immediate and bold statement.

Tasting Veuve Clicquot Champagne

Gift box or not, non-vintage Veuve Clicquot Champagne is made in a consistent house style year in and year out. The wine in your Veuve Clicquot gift pack will taste no different than a bottle by itself – and ultimately you can’t drink packaging. Those that are more concerned with the contents of the bottle than matters of appearance, read on. We’ve popped the cork of a bottle of Brut Yellow Label, and here’s what we think!

• Its appearance is a beautiful golden yellow colour, and it has a mousse of very fine bubbles.

• On the nose, the Champagne is complex with aromas ranging from white fruits to vanilla and notes of toast and brioche.

• On the palate, there is a lot of fresh fruit character, balanced with delicate spice and toasty notes. There is mouth-watering acidity and a lingering finish.

Have you ever received a Veuve Clicquot gift box or other Champagne gift pack? Have you ever bought one for a friend? Tell us about other Champagne gift ideas in the comments below!

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Champagne Ruinart: Where did it all begin?

The house of Ruinart today sits in the exclusive Champagne portfolio of LVMH, alongside Moët & Chandon, Krug, and Veuve Clicquot. Its beginnings were somewhat more humble, dating all the way back to 1729. Champagne Ruinart was established by entrepreneur Nicolas Ruinart, whose initial goal was to produce sparkling wine to present as a gift to clients of another family business, selling cloth. Before too long, the quality of Ruinart Champagne became rightly celebrated, and Champagne became the primary focus. In the intervening centuries, the house of Ruinart has remained in the best of hands, and neither its quality nor its reputation has slipped.

What makes Champagne Ruinart so special?

There are a lot of famous Champagne labels, so why is Ruinart so special? Well, where do we start?

• Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house operating today, having consistently made sparkling wine since 1729. The French like to talk about savoir-faire, the know-how winemakers acquire over time – Ruinart has it in spades!
• Ruinart specialises in Chardonnay. Champagne producers can blend Chardonnay, as well as the red grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Ruinart uses the red grapes, though has developed a reputation as a Chardonnay specialist. Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, from 100% Chardonnay, is a classic of the style.
• They really put the “art” in “Ruinart”. The house of Ruinart has a long-standing relationship with the art world, going back as early as 1895 when a Czech artist was commissioned to illustrate a Ruinart poster. This relationship continues to this day, and Ruinart routinely participates in and contributes to art events throughout the world.

3 Ruinart Champagnes to try

The nice thing about buying Ruinart Champagne is the price. Granted, it’s not cheap, but as far as Champagne goes, it’s affordable. This is particularly impressive when you consider the stellar reputation that Ruinart enjoys. We’ve picked out three of our favourite Ruinart Champagne wines to try, and we are certain that you’ll find an excellent quality/price ratio here!

• Ruinart R de Ruinart is one of the best non-vintage Champagnes that money can buy. It displays all the class and elegance of the house, and is very keenly priced. Visually you’ve got a lot of fine bubbles and a golden yellow hue. The nose is deep and lively, with fresh citrus fruit and yeast aromas, and the palate has refreshing acidity and a generous mouthfeel. This makes a fantastic aperitif, though will also match very well with a plate of oysters.
• Ruinart Rosé is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and has a very attractive golden pink colour. Its nose is subtle, but comes around with fresh red fruit aromas of raspberry and strawberry. Round and smooth on the palate, this is a very fine rosé indeed. This is a refreshing alternative to Port when paired with a mature cheese plate.
• Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is one of the best known Blanc de Blancs Champagnes, and is something of a signature for Ruinart. Its unique clear bottle shows off its brilliant colour, and the aromas are of citrus and yeast. Clean and refreshing on the palate, this is beautiful by itself and a fine accompaniment for a sharing platter of fruits de la mer.

Which is your favourite Ruinart Champagne? Tell us in the comments below!

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