Champagne for New Years Eve

Champagne is made from three different grapes: Chardonnay (white grape as found in Chablis), Pinot Noir (red grape as found in Burgundy) and Pinot Meunier. Different champagne houses mixes these grapes differently, but a Blanc de Blancs Champagne is just made from Chardonnay. Below follows a list of Champagne houses that normally provides good value for money:

From the Reims area:

Krug (luxury stuff and very smooth for those with lots of money)

Louis Roederer (Blanc de blancs & vintage especially)

Taittinger (especially the vintage ones)

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (always reliable and affordable)

Henriot (lovely Chardonnay driven Champagne and 1998 splendid and reasonable)

Ruinart (The Blancs de Blancs ideal crispy mineral driven aperitif)

Pommery (The Brut has much improved)

Alain Thienot (Smaller producer with high quality price ratio)

Egly-Ouriet (one of the finest Blanc de Noirs, red grape only)

From Ay and Vallee de la Marne

Bollinger (Special Cuvee is always fantastic)

Deutz (discreet house with focus on quality- Amour de Deutz for those with lots of cash)

Billecart Salmon (top quality with the Rose as the best and most pricy)

Around Epernay and Cote des Blancs

Moet Chandon (sells 25 millions bottles a year, including Dom Perignon!)

Boizel (Smaller reasonable house)

Erick de Sousa (top quality from Portuguese background)

Larmandier- Bernier (Chadonnay driven with single cru Terre de Vertus with no sugar added)

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Leoville Lascases 1988

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