Nothing says happy holidays like sparkling wine. I have always been an ardent admirer of bubbles and I’ve never been too picky about provenance or price–I love a good $15 sparkler no matter where it calls home. But after a recent trip to France, I decided I needed to open my mind (and my wallet) and focus on true Champagnes. What makes a true Champagne? Well, it must be from the Champagne region of France and it must be produced via the Méthode Champenoise, which is basically a set of production rules.
For our recent holiday Wine Tribe tasting, we decided to try a variety of true Champagnes. A couple of variables went into our selections. First, we chose wines featuring different percentages of the traditional grapes used in making Champagne. And second, we tried bottles selling at different price points. As you know, all Champagnes are made from three grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. Some Champagnes are produced from a single grape—for example, Champagne labeled Blanc de Blanc is 100% Chardonnay. Others are a blend, using two or three of the grapes. And if a Champagne is labeled Blanc de Noir, that means it’s 100% Pinot Noir.
When I was in France, I found myself gravitating toward the Chardonnay-focused Champagnes. Once I got home, I really wanted to try a blind tasting to confirm my preferences.
Wine Tribes Play Favorites
Here’s our lineup:
- Pierre Peters Blanc de Blanc, 100% Chardonnay, $62.
- Laurent Perrier Brut, 45% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier, $45.
- Louis Roederer Brut Premier, 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier, $54.
- Veuve Clicquot Brut, while specifics aren’t published, this Champagne is heavy on the dark grapes and tends to be about 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier, $55.
- P. Louis Martin Bouzy Brut, 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, $28.
Ohhh this was an exciting tasting as you could really see the tribal differences, although we found a few bottles that had universal appeal. (Don’t know your tribe? Take our quiz before reading further so that you’ll know which Champagne is best for you based on the choices of others with similar palate preferences.)
The Chardonnay Champ
If you are in the Accessible or Balanced Tribe, you likely will prefer Chardonnay-based Champagnes. The clear winner for these tribes was the Pierre Peters Blanc de Blanc and first runner-up was the Louis Roederer Brut. Accessible and Balanced Tribe members described the Blanc de Blanc as having yeasty, bready smells and fruity flavors–grapefruit when drunk without food and strawberry with. This is definitely a wine that mellows with food.
Here’s a tip: If you are buying a bottle as a gift, choose the Blanc de Blanc over the Louis Roederer Brut. Even though folks loved the taste of the Louis Roederer, the smells were a turn off. More on that later.
What’s Your Sign?
The Developed Tribe’s first choice was the Blanc de Blanc. Oddly, their first runner-up was the P. Louis Martin Bouzy Brut, which, being made with a lot of Pinot Noir, is on the opposite end of the taste spectrum.
I’m in this tribe and I’m a Gemini, so I understand why I liked two extreme opposites, but it surprised me that my fellow tasters had the the same preferences. Maybe it shouldn’t have since we’re in the same tribe, which means we share similar palates. At any rate, we appreciated the Blanc de Blanc for its bready, brioche smells and its citrusy tang. On the other hand, we liked the richness of the Bouzy Brut, with its berry syrup smells 
and honey, caramel flavors.
Getting Boozy with the Bouzy
The Complex Tribe’s hands-down winner was the Bouzy Brut. They liked the aromas of toasted honey and “bakery” and loved the tastes of butter cake and minerals. They also mentioned the mouth-feel–“light but substantial.” It’s worth noting that this is the staff favorite at my go-to wine shop in Seattle, Esquin Wine (I suspect that the staff there lean toward the Complex Tribe as well).
And the others?
You may be asking yourself about the other Champagnes. No one hated them, but they didn’t pop as strong tribal favorites. The Laurent Perrier was generally liked by everyone. People picked up flavors of vanilla, nuts, peach or in my case, Fresca, so this could be a safe bet for anyone, regardless of tribe. The Louis Roederer Brut Premier was a bit of an oddity. People really liked the taste (lemon curd, apricot, minerals) but the smell was a bit of a showstopper (rotten eggs, bad breath and goat). If you have a cold and can’t smell, go for it. And finally, there was the Veuve Clicquot Brut. This was generally liked by all, but it wasn’t ah-maz-ing. It also had dodgy scents–wet grass, earth and feet–but everyone appreciated the taste of raspberries, marzipan and apple cider.
Your Personal Champagne Recommendations
In summary, if are in the Accessible or Balanced Tribe, go with the Blanc de Blanc. Complex Tribers, get your hands on the Bouzy Brut. And for you, Developed Tribe, either of the two favorites will work.
Want to recommend a champagne? Let us know your tribe and your favorite bottle.
Cheers to a very happy holiday and sparkling new year!