'Tis the season to raise the bar of delightful decadence by exploring curated sparkling wine expressions! Sommeliers travel the world to gather an ideal trifecta of artisan-crafted expressions that unleash the highest standard and pedigree. Here is the best of the best, offering exceptional value for “WOWZA!” quality.
Here are some common abbreviations on Champagne labels that most consumers overlook. The RM listed below is recommended for unique artisan expressions found in Champagne.
RM (Récoltant-Manipulant): A "grower" producer who uses at least 95% of their own grapes.
NM (Négociant-Manipulant): A Champagne house that buys grapes from growers and blends them to create its own wine.
Top Sommelier Picks
Champagne Paul Dethune “Grand Cru Brut” Non-vintage, Ambonnay – France This vigneron (grower-producer) hails from Ambonnay, a small village that is one of seventeen villages classified as part of the “Grand Cru” designation. Known for Pinot Noir, five of the seven hectares farmed are that grape, with the remaining two hectares, Chardonnay. The family heritage runs deep with seven generations as growers, and now two generations as Champagne producers.
The cépage (blend) is chosen according to the “terroir”, to the juice yield and to the blend of the wine. This is a non-vintage, multi-year cuvée consisting of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. The base wine is aged for three years, yet it packs a heavy reserve component of 40% estate wines dating back over 30 years. That alone gives this wine spellbinding complexity. You seriously can't go wrong with any Champagne from this producer, but this Grand Cru Brut offers the best value.
2015 Ca’del Bosco “Annamaria Clementi” Franciacorta Risera, Lombardy, Italy -There is a secret sparkling term in the somm world that merits a mention: “Franciacorta”. If you are seeking the highest pedigree of Italian sparkling, look no further than Lombardy in Northern Italy & Franciacorta. This wine sizzles with the finesse of true Champagne, but without the price tag. Ten years of aging, organic, dosage zero and farmed to perfection, it offers the highest guarantee from the Italian government with a DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, which translates to Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin) labeling.
Expect hedonistic perfection with accents from oak aging. A blend of 82% Chardonnay, 3% Pinot Blanc and 15% Pinot Noir, this bubble masterpiece is tongue-tingling on the entry and devilishly complex on the finish.
Boschendal “Brut Rosé” Non-vintage, Method Cap Classique, Stellenbosch, South Africa - A final recommendation is a wild card using two traditional grapes – Chardonnay & Pinot Noir, normally found in sparkling wines. The third, a red grape, Pinotage, creates a unique offering that South Africans sing and dance over. Pinotage, indigenous to South Africa, is a cross-pollination of Pinot Noir and Cinsault. By adding Pinotage to the blend, it finds a place in the heart that drives a high personality marriage with pure spellbinding complexity.
The term “Method Cap Classique” is only used in South Africa and represents the traditional method of winemaking found in Champagne. It requires the second fermentation to be done in the bottle (trapping the Co2 into the wine for effervescence) with extended aging before release.
This wine is light in color for a rosé yet phenomenal in taste. Clean & crisp in style with a prettiness that perseveres through an eminently elegant finish. This sparkling wine is the lowest-priced of these recommendations, so be sure to treat yourself by swirling this beauty in a stem.
All are limited in production and quite difficult to source. There is, however, a local Fredericksburg sparkling wine & caviar lounge that has over 80 offerings with most available by-the-glass. Six Twists Sparkling is located within the Elk & Main Complex at 425 East Main Street. These wines are sold there with a 15% discount on bottles to go. Cheers to all, and Happy Holidays from your local sommelier!
Andre Boada is a sommelier & founder of VinoCadre.
Sommeliers travel the world to gather an ideal trifecta of artisan-crafted expressions that unleash the highest standard and pedigree.