The Esquire Champagne Guide: 23 Best Champagnes To Try

Perrier-Jouët impressed our judging panel with its fine, uplifting bubbles and impressively long finish. Flavour-wise, you can expect vibrant citrus and delicate floral aromas, balanced out by buttery brioche and spiced vanilla.

We’d pair this NV with smoked salmon or sashimi, though it makes an excellent aperitif, too.

Ageing in the Champagne crayères (or chalk caves) achieves an aromatic complexity that many have come to expect of Ruinart.

Our tasting panel compared the flavour profile of this fine-looking bottle to a freshly baked frangipane tart, with notes of toasted brioche, ripe stone fruit and subtle vanilla spicing.

This pure-Chardonnay champers is a blend from Grand Crus in the Côte des Blancs, where the chalk terroir lends a unique mineral character to the vines.

On the nose, it’s led by bright, tart citrus fruit (think yuzu, lemon peel, mandarin), which is well-balanced on the palate, with notes of fresh honey, brioche, and a subtle floral lilt. A stellar pick for a special occasion or wedding gift.

A complex blend of 30 wines from at least two vintages and three classic cépages, there’s a reason so many champagne aficionados swear by Pol Roger Brut Reserve.

Expect aromas of citrus and honeysuckle, followed by ripe apricot, white peach and toasted brioche. Long, lingering bubbles and gripping acidity make this a champagne to return to time and time again.

The Mignon family comes from a long line of wine producers native to Mesnil-le-Huttier, a little hamlet located a few kilometres away from Epernay in the heart of Champagne.

Our panel of testers loved the distinct aromas of brioche, with flavours of mouth-wateringly tart green apple plus hints of cooked-down apple, giving a balanced sweetness. Pair with seafood canapés or a cheese board for a celebratory aperitif.

Porte Noire is the brainchild of award-winning actor, Idris Elba, and wine expert, David Farber, so it's no surprise this new kid on the champagne scene comes with big billing.

That said, it blew our socks off in the blind tasting, offering an intriguing nose of malted biscuit, ripe apple, and citrus, rounded off with buttered brioche and a light, lingering sweetness to finish. Like Luther, it’s a real crowd-pleaser.

If you love a breakfast of smoked salmon and are looking for the perfect sparring partner, let us recommend this champagne by Chanoine Frères.

The well-structured acidity, fine bubbles and crisp fruit-forward flavour – led predominantly by golden delicious apple and aromatic fig – help cut through the fatty fish.

Taittinger strictly sources from the finest Grand Cru estates in Champagne, so it’s no surprise that the resulting drop is of such distinguished pedigree.

Aged for five years, the combination of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes delivers a great deal of complexity, with a pronounced citrus profile (grapefruit, lemon, kaffir lime...), persistent bubbles and velvety mousse.

Telmont may be relatively new on the block, but it comes with big backing, after Remy Cointreau bought a majority stake in the business back in October 2020.

On the nose, there’s classic notes of baked pastry and lemon verbena, with a bright lift of crisp green apple and citrus, all wrapped up in velvety bubbles.

In many ways, Veuve Clicquot's signature yellow label hints at the champagne’s vibrant style — and the Ponsardin is certainly no exception.

The high percentage of pinot noir gives acidity and structure, while chardonnay and meunier help to round out the blend. A dependable aperitif for any occasion.

It may not be as instantly recognisable as the biggest champagne brands (we’re talking Veuve, Moët, and Dom Perignon), but Chanoine Frères is, in fact, the second oldest champagne house.

'Réserve Privée’ Brut is evidence of Isabelle Tellier’s expertise after a twenty-year career as Chef de Cave; the high percentage of pinot noir provides exceptional structure and powerful aromatics (stone fruit, figs, spice and sweet yet yeasty brioche, bordering on babka). A premium drop that belies its price tag.

Sure, Britain’s favourite secret agent may be famed for his martinis, but he’s also been known to knock back the bubbles.

Celebrating Bollinger’s 40-year partnership with the iconic Bond brand, this special release is full of aromatic complexity (think apple compote, spiced stoned fruit and brioche) with fine, persistent bubbles. Well, if it's good enough for 007.

As the house’s signature cuvée, this dependable drop blends 77 different crus, capturing the diversity of the region with an aroma that offers delicate stone fruit, white peach and floral notes.

Thanks to the mouth-watering acidity and citrus-forward flavour, it’s a match made for food pairing and will stand up against richer dishes, from baked halibut to chicken piccata laden with capers.

This is a seriously elegant NV; bone dry, with impressive depth and complexity, you’ll find flavours of lemon peel, ripe pear and white peach, backed up by a bouquet of fresh herbs and a hint of spice.

Pair with robust cuts of sashimi (mackerel, tuna), or a powerful soft chèvre topped with honeycomb and walnuts.

Gruet is a family owned and run winery founded in 1984. More than 25 vintages later, it continues to produce great value bottles – the perfect champagne to have on standby for whenever you fancy popping open some bubbles.

Our testers enjoyed the intense aromas of biscuit and brioche, followed by flavours of lemon and lime. Not the most complex of champagnes on the palate, this would also work well in champagne-based cocktails such as a French 75.

The house has perfected its craft over five generations, creating a champagne that offers classic citrus, stone fruit and brioche aromas in spades.

There’s a hint of marzipan too, which, along with the fine mousse, make this the perfect pairing for equally classic desserts such as tarte tatin.

A complex brut with fine, enduring bubbles, the palate here is dominated by green fruit, including grape, lime and tart gooseberry— though there’s a hint of brioche working in the background, too.

It's a wine worthy of a special occasion, but don’t be afraid to pair it with richer seafood dishes when you're feeling particularly fancy, such as lobster thermidor.

If you’re seeking a special drop to kick off Easter Sunday, make it this.

With ripe peach and quince at the fore and a baked brioche backbone coupled with elegant bubbles, it’s our go-to for serving alongside smoked salmon canapés (the bright acidity slices through the fattier cut with ease).

Prefer your champagne on the racier side? Try Pommery. Lively and vivacious, the Royal Brut opens with generous citrus, gooseberry and white floral notes, while warm brioche rounds out the blend.

Exceptionally food-friendly, we’ll be lining up a bottle to serve alongside oysters mignonette at our next fancy soirée.

As one of the long-favoured big label bottles, Laurent-Perrier’s La Cuvée is undeniably iconic, making it a failsafe gift for any host.

Fresh and floral with notes of peach, bright citrus and pear, it's a crowd-pleasing aperitif, while the creamier finish also pairs perfectly with light seafood dishes.