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18 Luxury Champagnes You Need To Buy If You're In Need Of Bubbly

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

12 Luxury Champagnes You Need To Buy If You’re All About Entertaining

It’s officially Champagne season, so our panel of wine experts have been hard at work looking for easy-drinking aperitifs for effortless entertaining, the best fizz for gifting, and the bottles to keep all to yourself.

And if you prefer la vie en rose, they’ve also shared their favourite rosé champagne picks and English sparkling wines worth toasting with, too. Cheers!

Best champagne 2022

How we test champagne

The Elle Lab consists of a panel of 10 testers, made up of WSET-trained wine experts and general fizz fans, to give honest feedback on 41 bottles of champagne. Each was served chilled and blinded to avoid brand bias, with the panel looking for flavours across the full spectrum — from fresh and fruity, to rich and full-bodied.

Read on for the 18 top-rated luxury brands to try this Christmas and beyond…

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

1) Brut Royal Champagne

£39.99

Pommery is one of the best-selling champagnes in the world, and we can’t help but feel it’s seriously underrated. Originally headed up by Madame Pommery, the brand has a vibrant history and a deep art connection, with changing contemporary exhibitions taking place in its chalk quarries. In terms of style, the Brut Royal is perfectly balanced and consistently good, combining the brightness of lemon and gooseberry, with a long-lasting biscuit note and velvety mouthfeel.

Key specificationsGrapes: Pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot meunier Type: Non-vintage Volume: 75cl ABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

4) La Cuvée Champagne

£46.00

First created in the early 19th-century, Laurent-Perrier’s La Cuvée is just as iconic today, making it a fail-safe choice if you’re looking for an impressive gift.

Fresh and floral with notes of peach, bright citrus and pear, it makes an ideal aperitif, while the creamy, toasty finish also works well with delicate white fish, creamy chicken and vegan cheese.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunierType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

1) Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Non Vintage Champagne

£47.45

Despite being at the lower end of the champagne price spectrum, Perrier-Jouët’s signature non-vintage brut was one of our tasting panel’s stand-out favourites.

Aged for a minimum of three years, you’ll find refreshing and uplifting citrus, delicate floral notes and a touch of vanilla-flecked brioche. With a long, rich finish and change from £50, this one is a total steal.
Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunierType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

2) Vintage 2010 Champagne

£180.00

Special occasion coming up? You’ll need a vintage champagne for that. Dom Pérignon only makes vintage champagne, and despite seeing an insane amount of rain in 2010, the brand delivers with this elegant cuvee. On the nose the focus is ripe tropical fruit, moving to a little spice on the palate, with a fresh, well-balanced finish.
Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noirType: VintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

3) Champagne Millesime 2006

£210.00

If you’re willing to blow the budget on an ultra-special bottle, our experts think this is the one to splurge on. The 2008 ‘millesime’ (French for vintage) is super fresh, combining white blossom and apricot with more savoury elements such as hazelnuts and toasted sourdough.

And can we talk about the ornate bottle? We’ll be sticking a candle in it and keeping it on display long after the last bubble pops.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noirType: VintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

6) Champagne Réserve Brut

£52.99

Stay one step ahead of the champagne curve and invest in a bottle of Telmont. The brand recently received investment from Remy Cointreau and Leonardo DiCaprio, and are in the process of going fully organic.

The liquid is a combination of seven harvests and is poetically described as ‘A love letter to the steep, sun-soaked vineyards that surround Champagne Telmont’s headquarters.’ In other words, you can expect freshly squeezed lemon on the nose, moving to baked brioche and pitch-perfect minerality on the palate. Superb.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot meunier, pinot noir. Type: Non-vintage Volume: 75cl ABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

7) Carte d’Or Brut Champagne

£41.25

Reportedly the first carbon-neutral champagne house, forward-thinking Drappier is well-known in France, but less so on UK soil. Rich and toasty, you can expect notes of stone fruit, brioche and peach, with mousse-like bubbles.

Key specifications Grapes: Pinot noir, pinot meunier, chardonnay Type: Non-vintage Volume: 75cl ABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

8) Brut Réserve Champagne NV

£49.95

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

9) Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV

£39.00

Thought to be the choice for royal weddings, Pol Roger has an intense flavour profile, bursting with brioche. This delicious richness is perfectly balanced with crisp and refreshing minerality, thirst-quenching lemon and grapefruit. An excellent aperitif, this brut also pairs well with spicy food, so do bear it in mind next time you’re experimenting in the kitchen.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier Type: Non-vintage Volume: 75cl ABV: 12.5%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

10) Collection 242 Brut Champagne

£54.00

This replaces the brand’s flagship (and bestselling) brut premier, but we think it’s a decision that’s paid off. Aged for three years, this elegant multi-vintage cuvee is a pleasure to drink, with silky bubbles and crunchy green apple, underscored by a delicious buttery brioche element. Try it with a selection of canapés this Christmas.

Key specifications Grapes: Pinot Noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier Type: Non-vintage Volume: 75cl ABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

5) Special Cuvée Champagne

£49.99

Whether Bolly brings to mind Ab Fab or 007, the brand is instantly recognisable — and for good reason. Oak-aged for at least five years, testers loved the savoury notes in this one, noting a buttery roundness that underpins crisp green apples and pears. As such, we think this is the one to pair with your finger sandwiches for an extra-special Jubilee picnic.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunierType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

7) Premier Cru Brut Champagne

£32.50

It’s always worth having a bottle of champagne on standby and this own-brand bottle from department store Harvey Nicks offers great value.

A natural with canapés, the easy-drinking non-vintage fizz hints at lemon, green apple, brioche and hazelnuts, in what is a fine example of a classic champagne.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunierType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

11) Brut Réserve

£40.57

A classic blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier, this one is wonderfully complex and balanced, with notes of marzipan, mango, ripe green apple and brioche, ending with a burst of tropical fruit. A great aperitif or partner to light seafood and chicken dishes.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunierType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

14) Ponsardin Brut

£45.00

Aged for twice as long as is technically required, VC’s yellow label has a well-balanced combination of prominent minerality, fresh white fruit and toasted brioche. Whether enjoyed on its own or with seafood, it’s a treat.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunierType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

9) Blanc de Blancs Second Skin

£89.99

The words eco-friendly and champagne rarely go hand in hand, but Ruinart’s blanc de blancs features recyclable ‘second skin’ packaging, made entirely of pulped paper. Made without plastic or glue, we think it’s a beautiful alternative to your standard gift box. Inside is just as impressive, with smooth bubbles and notes of fresh white peach.

Key specifications Grapes: ChardonnayType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

12) Prelude Champagne

£59.99

Taittinger’s champagne is made from 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir, all from Grand Cru vineyards (meaning the grapes are of the highest quality possible).

The resulting wine has real elegance, with delicate flavours of white blossom, grapefruit and cinnamon, with excellent minerality from the high chardonnay content and robust bubbles.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noirType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

17) Le Black Label Brut Champagne

£36.00

Associated with Wimbledon and the British royal family, Lanson is all about the bright, light, refreshing citrus and persistent bubbles. As such it’s incredibly easy drinking, and an excellent accompaniment to fish and chips — the ultimate high-low pairing.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunierType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12.5%

food, 18 luxury champagnes you need to buy if you're in need of bubbly

6) Grand Reserve Champagne

£44.49

Claiming to be the oldest wine house in Champagne, Gosset’s grand reserve champagne has the perfect citrusy aroma according to our testers. It’s just as refreshing on the palate, making it the ideal accompaniment to cut through charcuterie or truffle-spiked salad leaves.

Key specifications Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunierType: Non-vintageVolume: 75clABV: 12%

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