5 incredible bottles of champagne to pop at Christmas dinner
Christmas is nothing without the right bubbles to pop around the festive turkey: here are five types of champagne that seriously suit festive drinking.
Here’s to the season of goodwill, and good wine, too.
THE CLASSIC ONE Bollinger PN AYC 18 £87 BERRY BROS & RUDD
Bollinger is an icon. Creating richly expressive wines for nearly 200 years, it is poised, classy and wonderfully self-assured. Cemented into the British psyche in the 1990s as Absolutely Fabulous Patsy and Eddy’s drink of choice, the recent AYC 18 is a deep, fullbodied Pinot Noir champagne with a deliciously creamy mousse. An eternal classic, it is enough to make anyone cry “Where’s the Bolly Sweety darling?!”.
THE BLING ONE Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No.4 TWIN PACK GIFT SET WITH ARMAND DE BRIGNAC BRUT GOLD £1,385 HARRODS
Unashamedly flash, the pure decadence of the bottle, the metal label, and the fact it was partly owned by Jay-Z could detract from what is inside – and that would be a shame as this Champagne is fantastic. This latest Blanc de Noirs has the longest aging in the range, seven years in the cellar have resulted in a near perfect harmony of flinty freshness and honeyed plummy fruits. Beloved of billionaires and rappers this would be the added sparkle on any Christmas table or Super Yacht.
THE ONE IN THE KNOW Billecart-Salmon Brut Sous Bois NV £64 WANDERLUST WINE
Everyone in wine seems to have a meaningful story or tradition that includes Billecart-Salmon Champagne. One of the few, if not the only, Champagne Houses who have stayed owned and run by the same family since formation, it sits in a niche all its own and commands respect wherever it is sipped. The Brut Sous Bois is an elegantly oaked champagne with beautiful, toasted brioche and truffle notes, just perfect for wintery cosiness. Take this along to any dinner party with a truffled cheese and find yourself elevated to your host’s favourite guest.
THE ROSE-TINTED ONE Maison Bruno Paillard N.P.U Rosé 2008 £240 WANDERLUST WINE
We all have that person in our lives that brings out our best, that rosy glow of positivity – and here it is in Champagne form. “Nec Plus Ultra” wines, meaning “There Is Nothing Better”, are only made in exceptional years and this is only the 2nd prestige rosé Bruno Paillard have made. Vivacious and bright, this stunning sparkling is flooded with fresh strawberries, dusky violet petals and a hint of quince and smoke that would make it a dream for any cheese board. A refined, joyful glass of silky bubbles crying out for a celebration.
THE SAVVY ONE Tesco Finest Grand Cru Champagne 2017 £30 TESCO
For those who love a bargain, own labels are a great way to go. Often Supermarkets work with premium producers who would usually be priced a lot higher. Union Champagne has previously won gold at the International Wine and Spirit Challenge for their work with Tesco so you can buy knowing you are in a safe pair of hands. A Blanc de Blancs made with 100% Chardonnay from the finest vineyards, this offers a pleasing delicacy teamed with lively citrus and a fine satisfying nuttiness. One for the value hunters this Christmas.
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