WINE TRENDS Champagne’s Best Buy: Non-Vintage Bruts by Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW rue Champagne, the unique sparkling wine from the Champagne region in north- T eastern France, will never be inexpensive. It just costs too much to make. But some Champagnes are relatively well-priced and, in view of their quality, can be very good values. These wines are the non- vintage Bruts. The Champagne region is so northerly that its climate is marginal for grape grow- ing. On average, only four or five vintages each decade are warm enough for making vintage Champagne—providing grapes so ripe that they can stand alone without being blended with wines from other years (although the local weather clearly has been warmer than usual since 1989). The Champenois concluded long ago that if they wanted to stay in business, they had to combine wines from several years to com- pensate for all those vintages when the climate is poor. In the 19th century, these so- called “non-vintage” Champagnes were the only type sold. Today, 85 to 90 percent of all Champagne is still non-vintage. Most Champenois find the term “non-vintage” distasteful because they believe that vintage-conscious consumers, especially Americans, might think something is wrong with non-vintage wines. Rémi Krug of Champagne Krug insists on calling his Krug Grande Cuvée a “multi-vintage” Champagne; “non-vintage” is a misnomer, he argues, since there are several vintages in his Champagne. Nonetheless, the cumber- some term “multi-vintage” has not caught on. But you will never see the words “non- vintage” on a non-vintage Champagne, either; what you’ll sometimes see is the word “Classic,” such as in “Deutz Classic Brut.” Champagne producers themselves invariably refer to their non-vintage Bruts as “classic Bruts.” Their rationale for the term is that this type of Champagne was the orig- inal—and for many years the only— type of Champagne produced. Non-vintage Bruts are the world leaders in sales. They are the least-expensive Champagnes for several reasons: they’re made in the largest quantities; the average price of their grapes is lower than for those of vintage Champagne; and they are aged fewer years than vintage Champagnes. Three years of age is the average for the bet- ter non-vintage Champagnes that we see in the U.S. (The poorest quality non-vin- tage Champagnes are sold in French and UK supermarkets, and elsewhere in Europe.) The average retail price range of non-vintage Champagne is $25 to $45. Sometimes a non-vintage Brut sells for more than $45, but often this is a “better” non-vintage Brut, such as Gosset’s Grande Réserve, or a non-vintage prestige cuvée (a term used for a Champagne house’s finest offering). Examples include Laurent- Perrier’s Grand Siècle (a great value Prestige Cuvée) or Krug’s Grande Cuvée, which actually retails for over $100. Non-vintage rosé Bruts and non-vintage blanc de blancs Bruts are usually a few dollars more than standard NV Bruts because they are costlier to make and their production is more limited. We are Champagne lovers, and we drink far With fish and seafood: Delicate or simply pre- more Champagne than the average consumer. pared fish go well with a light blanc de blancs, What we drink depends on the occasion. such as Mumm de Cramant or Deutz. Full- For special occasions, we’ll spring for a You Brut! bodied fish entrées require a medium-or prestige cuvée or a good vintage Brut; full-bodied NV Brut, such as Charles “Brut” Champagne (which is suppos- for aperitifs, often a light-bodied Heidsieck Brut Réserve. Oysters, clams, edly very dry—although some Brut blanc de blancs; with dinner, some- Champagnes are definitely dryer than oth- and most other shellfish are great with times a rosé Brut. But 75 to 80 per- ers) is by far the largest-selling Champagne a medium-to full-bodied blanc de cent of the time, we drink non-vin- in the world. “Extra Dry” Champagne, which is blancs Champagne, such as Taittinger tage Bruts—especially at restaurant less dry than Brut, sells quite well in the Comtes de Champagne, Louis prices. We’re not millionaires, and U.S.—Moët & Chandon’s White Star is a Roederer Blanc de Blancs, or Charles even if we were, we’d still buy non-vin- leading example—but is practically non- Heidsieck Blanc de Millénaires. Lobster existent throughout the rest of the tage Bruts most times: they’re invariably needs a really full-bodied blanc de blancs, world. “Demi-sec” Champagne, well-made, and a good value. Prestige which is fairly sweet, has a such as Salon, Pierre Peters, or, for a big Cuvées should be saved for special occasions. limited market. splurge, Krug Clos du Mesnil. Caviar matches How can you appreciate them if you drink them perfectly with light-bodied, delicate vintage pres- all the time? tige cuvées, such as Pommery Louise or Jacquesson Signature Brut. Food and Champagne Although Champagne With poultry or game birds: Chicken goes with most wines, can be enjoyed on its own, it is particularly food- including Champagne; the heavier or creamier the chicken dish, friendly, and accompanies most foods extremely well. the more full-bodied your Champagne should be, such as Louis It’s great with hors d’oeuvres of course, such as stuffed mush- Roederer Brut Premier, Veuve Clicquot, NV Yellow Label or rooms, smoked mussels or oysters, crab dip, or an assortment of their Gold Label Vintage Reserve. With turkey, try a full-bodied nuts, especially almonds. It’s also the wine of choice for many rosé, such as Gosset Grand Rosé Brut or Veuve Clicquot Rosé non-wine-friendly foods, such as egg dishes, vegetables, spicy Reserve. Duck needs a powerful, full-flavored Champagne, such Asian cuisines and sushi. Here is a brief list of food and as Bollinger NV Special Cuvée or its Grand Année Vintage Brut, Champagne matchups: or Louis Roederer Vintage Brut. Game birds, such as pheasant or With brunch: Scrambled eggs, bacon or ham and eggs, mush- squab, go well with prestige cuvées such as Gosset Célébris, room omelets, and quiche are especially good with a non-vintage Alfred Gratien Cuvée Paradis, Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill, Brut, such as Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve, Moët & Chandon or Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame. Brut Impérial, or Pol Roger Brut. If you insist on orange juice With Asian cuisine: The sweetness and/or spiciness of with your brunch, try a Mimosa: one-third fresh-squeezed OJ, Chinese, Thai, or Indian cuisine often overwhelm wine. Beer two-thirds non-vintage Brut. works, but we prefer Champagne. The acidity and the bubbles With pasta and risotto: Pastas with vegetables or seafood go can handle these cuisines. Any good non-vintage Brut or extra- better with Champagnes than with other wines. Mushrooms are dry Champagne works well. With more delicate Japanese cuisine, a particularly wine-friendly food with Champagne; mushroom we’d recommend a good, dry blanc de blancs, such as Jacquesson risotto and Champagne is a marriage made in heaven. Try or Bruno Paillard, Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut (very dry), or a a good non-vintage Brut, such as Gosset Grand Réserve good Prestige Cuvée, such as Dom Pérignon, Jacquesson or Pommery Brut Royal Apanage, with these dishes. Signature Brut, or Philipponnat Clos des Goisses. Avoid Champagne with tomato-sauced based pasta With pork, ham, veal, and lamb: Beef, venison, and dishes; the acidity of tomatoes clashes with other game are probably too full-flavored for Champagne. Stick to red wine for tomato-based Champagne; stick to red wine with these entrées. pasta dishes. Veal and pork dishes, however, are fine With vegetables: Asparagus is a tough with full-bodied Champagnes. Ham matchup with most wines, but it goes very is great with medium-bodied rosés well with a delicate blanc de blancs, such as Laurent-Perrier NV Cuvée such as Gaston Chicquet, Billecart- Rosé Brut, Billecart-Salmon NV Brut Salmon, or Pol Roger Blanc de Rosé, or for a special treat, Cuvée Chardonnay. Try a good non-vin- William Deutz Vintage Brut Rosé. tage Brut with eggplant or zucchi- Lamb can be quite gamy, and ni dishes, or ratatouille. needs a full-bodied rosé to accom- Prestige Cuvées should be saved for special occasions. How can you Non-Vintage Brut Selections appreciate them if you drink them all the time? Recommended Non-Vintage pany it, such as Bollinger Grand Année always use a true non-vintage Brut Brut Vintage Rosé or Krug NV Rosé. Champagne, such as Heidsieck-Monopole With cheeses: Hard, aged cheeses go Blue Top, Charles Lafitte, or Nicolas Champagnes wonderfully with vintage Champagnes. Try Feuillate, as a base for Champagne cocktails. parmesan, aged gouda, or aged cheddar with You suffer a real loss in quality and flavor vintage Krug, Bollinger Vintage Grande when you substitute some inexpensive, non- • Alfred Gratien Brut Classique Année, Charles Heidsieck Vintage Brut, or descript sparkling wine for the Champagne. • Besserat de Bellefon Krug Rosé. With desserts: Avoid Brut Champagnes Champagne Glasses and • Bollinger Special Cuvée with desserts; Bruts are too dry and acidic. Serving Temperature Flutes are • Bruno Paillard Brut Instead, try a demi-sec Champage, such as the most popular glasses for serving Première Cuvée Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial, Louis Champagnes these days, but flutes are best Roederer Carte Blanche, or Veuve Clicquot only for young, less complex Champagnes, Charles Heidsieck • Demi-Sec, and then only with desserts that such as most newly-released, inexpensive Brut Réserve are not too sweet, such as a bowl of strawber- non-vintage bruts.