The 25 Best Champagnes for 2025

It’s easy to make generalizations when talking about Champagne. The term embodies a celebratory vibe, an energy of toasting and togetherness. But when we think of Champagne this way, it can be easy to forget the viticulture and winemaking behind each bottle, and the diverse styles seen across the region, too.

Within Champagne you will find the traditional blends of the area’s three major grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier) as well as expressions that showcase a single variety. There are iconic house styles that stay consistent year in and year out as well as cuvées created with the intention of representing one vintage. There are the famed Grandes Marques as well as hidden gems from smaller grower-producers. It turns out, there’s a lot more to love about Champagne beyond it being a great bottle to pop for a celebration.

From the crisp, mineral-driven Blanc de Blancs to the richest, red-fruited rosés, this list covers the full range that Champagne has to offer. Read on to discover VinePair’s list of the best Champagnes for 2025.

Why You Should Trust VinePair

Throughout the year, VinePair conducts dozens of tastings for our Buy This Booze product roundups, highlighting the best bottles across the world’s most popular wine and spirits categories.

As part of this work, VinePair’s tasting and editorial staff samples thousands of bottles every year. This helps us keep a finger on the pulse of what’s new and exciting. It also provides us with the crucial context needed to distinguish the simply good from the truly great — whether from a quality or value-for-money perspective, or both.

VinePair’s mission is to offer a clear, reliable source of information for drinkers, providing an overview applicable to day-to-day buying and drinking.

How We Taste

We believe in tasting all products as our readers typically would: with full knowledge of the producer and — importantly — price. Our tastings are therefore not conducted blind.

VinePair’s tasting panel evaluates every wine on its aromas, flavors, structure, balance, and quality. We also consider whether or not the wine showed typicity for its specific grape or region.

How We Compiled This List

In order to provide our readers with the most comprehensive and thoroughly tested list of the best Champagnes to buy, VinePair invited producers, distributors, and PR firms working on their behalf to send samples for consideration. These bottles were submitted free of charge — producers didn’t pay to submit nor did VinePair pay for the products. All were requested with the clear understanding that submission does not guarantee inclusion in the final list.

For the best Champagnes of the year roundup, our tastings panel gathered for a group tasting at the VinePair HQ. Each wine was assessed on quality, price, and availability to compile the final list.

The Best Easy-to-Find Champagne

Veuve Clicquot Rosé Champagne NV

Odds are you’ve encountered Veuve Clicquot’s iconic Yellow Label Brut Champagne before. And while that bottle is always a great go-to for a brunch party or a spontaneous toast, don’t overlook the brand’s rosé bottling. The wine is made using the classic Veuve blend of the three major Champagne grapes, incorporating 12 percent red wine to get its festive deep-magenta hue. It has a perfumed nose with notes of rose petals, wild strawberries, and rhubarb. The palate offers more juicy red berry flavor lifted by intense bubbles.

Average price: $60
Rating: 90

The Best Budget Champagne

Champagne Palmer La Réserve NV

Founded 75 years ago in Reims, Champagne Palmer offers a wide range of Champagne expressions that extend from a solera-aged rosé to the Grands Terroirs bottling selected from the house’s top sites. Though you could definitely splurge on a higher-end wine, the La Reserve cuvée is a great option if you’re looking for a budget-friendly bottle. It’s wonderfully crisp and refreshing on the palate with notes of orchard fruit, citrus, and a chalky minerality.

Average price: $49
Rating: 91

The Best Splurge Champagne

Champagne Billecart-Salmon Le Sous Bois NV

Within Billecart-Salmon’s extensive lineup of vibrant Champagnes, the Le Sous Bois cuvée might just be the most indulgent. While other expressions from the renowned Champagne house might be known for their precision and refinement, this bottling is completely vinified in oak barrels and aged on the lees for five years, adding some serious richness to the palate.

The result is a deep, opulent wine that delivers the creamy, yeasty flavor profile that Champagne nerds often search for. The wine’s toasty, vanilla notes are lifted by a linear acidity and lively bubbles. While this might not be the most expensive bottle on this list, if you’re looking to shell out about $100 for a great Champagne, you can’t go wrong with this lush, energetic bottle.

Average price: $100
Rating: 96

The Best of the Rest:

The Best Champagnes Under $75

Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut NV

Perrier-Jouët’s Grand Brut offers a delicate, aromatic expression of Champagne. The nose brings notes of soft cheese, peach, and white flowers and the palate is wonderfully crisp with lively bubbles.

Average price: $58
Rating: 91

Domaine Lagille L’Inattendue Champagne NV

Though this is Domaine Lagille’s entry-level bottling, it delivers ample character and finesse for the price. This expression is made with 100 percent Pinot Meunier aged on the lees for 36 to 42 months. It offers layers of aromas and flavors from orange zest and herbs to fresh citrus and apples. And the palate is packed with that rich, flaky croissant character that makes Champagne lovers swoon.

Average price: $60
Rating: 95

Champagne Taittinger Brut Réserve NV

Taittinger’s Brut Réserve is a reliable, easy-to-find bottle delivering classic Champagne character. It’s a well-balanced blend of the three major grapes sourced from over 35 different vineyards and vintages. The nose brings fresh flowers, yellow apples, and apricots, and the palate delivers a chalky, mineral note and refreshing acidity.

Average price: $60
Rating: 90

Champagne Jeaunaux-Robin Éclats de Meulière Extra Brut NV

This small, 14-acre family estate was founded in 1964 by Michel and Marie-Claude Jeaunaux and is now run by husband and wife Cyril and Clémence Jeaunaux-Robin. Located in the Petit Morin Valley in the Côte des Blancs, the domaine’s vineyards are planted on flint-rich, silex soils. This bottling is a blend of 60 percent Pinot Meunier, 30 percent Pinot Noir, and 10 percent Chardonnay. The wine delivers a great balance between crisp, tart fruit notes of green apples and yellow pears and fuller notes of vanilla and pastry dough. The palate is supported by a chalky minerality, fine bubbles, and refreshing acidity.

Average price: $65
Rating: 92

Champagne Ayala Brut Majeur NV

Champagne Ayala’s flagship Brut Majeur bottling is a Chardonnay-dominant blend sourced from 70 different sites across the Champagne region. The result is a light, mineral-driven expression filled with fresh citrus and chalky character.

Average price: $68
Rating: 91

Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs NV

The story of Charles Heidsieck and its founder is one of the most compelling in the entire region — which means a lot in Champagne. Part of the brand’s rich history is how “Champagne Charlie” helped develop the market for Champagne in America, so it’s always a festive bottle to break out for a toast. This Blanc de Blancs bottling offers notes of citrus and green apples dusted in cinnamon with a creamy, rounded finish.

Average price: $69
Rating: 92

Champagne Eric Taillet Exclusiv’T Blanc de Meunier Brut NV

The fourth generation to run his family estate in the Vallée de la Marne, Eric Taillet is committed to showcasing the potential of the often-overlooked Pinot Meunier grape. He sustainably farms his plot of old-vine Pinot Meunier to coax out the variety’s subtle complexity. This cuvée is 100 percent Meunier, using 30 percent perpetual reserve wines. The wine opens with notes of white flowers, green apples, and apricots but on the palate it veers into a deliciously toasty, vanilla-forward profile.

Average price: $69
Rating: 94

Champagne Delamotte Brut NV

Champagne Delamotte’s Brut expression is always a great crowd-pleasing option for an elegant evening of celebration. With 60 percent Chardonnay in the blend, the wine is driven by the grape variety’s signature linear acidity and freshness. The palate brings notes of lemon zest and creamy lemon curd with a layer of chalky minerality.

Average price: $70
Rating: 92

The Best Champagnes Under $100

Champagne Louis Roederer Collection 246 NV

Though this Champagne house is best known for its legendary tête de cuvée Cristal, Louis Roederer’s Collection series is a great option at a fraction of the price. Each year the winery crafts a distinct blend, marking its 246th vintage creating this wine. Collection 246 combines wines from the 2021 harvest (55 percent), 35 percent of the winery’s perpetual reserve blend, and 10 percent oak-aged reserve wines sourced from young Cristal vines. The palate is full of juicy apples and pears with a nice rounded texture on the finish.

Average price: $80
Rating: 92

Champagne Franck Pascal Fluence Brut Nature NV

Franck Pascal is the fifth generation of his family to grow grapes and make wine in Champagne’s Marne Valley. He was a pioneer in biodynamic viticulture in the area, receiving certification for his vineyards in just 2005. This Pinot Meunier-dominant blend delivers complex notes of roasted pears, ginger, and camembert.

Average price: $89
Rating: 91

The Best Champagnes Under $200

Champagne Collard-Picard Prestige ‘Perpétuelle’ NV

Olivier Collard and Caroline Picard started Champagne Collard-Picard in 1996. The pair, who both have strong family ties in the region, farm about 40 acres between the villages of Épernay and Dormans. A blend of 50 percent Chardonnay, 25 percent Pinot Noir, and 25 percent Pinot Meunier, this wine offers great balance between zesty, tart citrus character and a rich, round texture.

Average price: $100
Rating: 95

Ruinart Champagne Blanc de Blancs NV

This iconic bottle from Ruinart is a quintessential expression of a Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Made with Chardonnay sourced from primarily premier cru sites across the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims areas, this wine is bright with sharp acidity and fresh fruit notes. It opens with aromas of citrus zest and white flowers that develop into richer notes of lemon curd and cream on the palate.

Average price: $105
Rating: 93

Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée NV

This bottle’s English label might have French Champagne lovers doing a double take, but the root of the name actually came from the British sales agent of Georges Bollinger. In 1911 he dubbed this bottling the “Special Cuvée” because he felt the typical “brut” didn’t showcase the wine’s remarkable qualities. Today, the wine is a blend of 60 percent Pinot Noir, 25 percent Chardonnay, and 15 percent Pinot Meunier. The palate has a great depth of flavor from toasty brioche to clotted cream and sliced green apples.

Average price: $120
Rating: 92

Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2018

Veuve Clicquot’s legendary namesake Madame Clicquot always had an affinity for great Pinot Noir-based Champagnes. The Champagne house’s La Grande Dame bottling is an homage to her dedication to the grape, made with 90 percent Pinot Noir and 10 percent Chardonnay. The 2018 expression currently displays intense minerality with notes of chalk and saline accented by fresh citrus and orchard fruit. With its incredible acidity and structure, this Champagne is set up to age well.

Average price: $195
Rating: 93

The Best Champagnes Over $200

Krug Grande Cuvée 173ème Édition NV

While other producers in Champagne try to craft wines in a house style that’s consistent year after year, Krug makes a new wine each vintage. This wine marks the 173rd edition of this tradition, made primarily with wines from the 2017 harvest blended with 150 other wines from 13 different years, with the oldest from 2001. This expression showcases that rich, opulent character that Krug fans know and love. The wine has deep layers of vanilla, brioche, and toasted sourdough notes accented by roasted nuts and preserved lemons. A really luscious bottle for those who look for Champagne’s fuller-bodied side.

Average price: $250
Rating: 96

Rare Champagne Millésime 2013

Originally founded as the prestige bottling of the Piper-Heidsieck house, Rare Champagne has since spun off into its own brand. The 2013 vintage was crafted with 70 percent Chardonnay and 30 percent Pinot Noir from across 11 crus, including seven grand cru and three premier cru sites. The wine is aged for eight years on the lees and one year under cork. The result is a wonderfully expressive, aromatic wine with notes of honeysuckles and orange blossoms on the nose, while the palate brings rich baked apples and roasted nuts.

Average price: $250
Rating: 93

The Best Rosé Champagnes

Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Brut Rosé NV

Piper-Heidsieck’s rosé bottling is a blend of 50 percent Pinot Noir, 25 percent Pinot Meunier, and 25 percent Chardonnay — including 15 percent red wine. This leads to a deep-hued wine bursting with red fruit flavor. Think red apple skins, canned cranberry sauce, and raspberry jam slathered on toast.

Average price: $74
Rating: 91

Champagne Lallier R.021 Rosé NV

Champagne Lallier’s Réflexions series is meant to capture the expression of a single vintage in rosé form (though it’s not exactly a vintage wine). The R.021 bottling represents the 2021 harvest, made with 70 percent wines from that year and 30 percent reserve wines. To add an extra layer of depth, 7 percent of the wine is vinified in oak barrels. The result is a lush rosé with notes of flaky, freshly baked pastries, raspberry jam, and strawberries.

Average price: $85
Rating: 92

Champagne Eric Taillet Luminosi’T Brut Rosé NV

Another expression of Pinot Meunier from Eric Taillet, but this one showcases the grape’s ability to make a delicious rosé. The soft pink expression is made with 99 percent direct press wine and 1 percent red wine and is aged on the lees for 24 months before disgorgement. It’s vibrant on the palate with notes of strawberry tops, strewed raspberries, and fresh whipped cream.

Average price: $95
Rating: 95

Champagne Delamotte Rosé NV

Rather than bold fruit, this rosé is more focused and delicate, with tart notes of cranberry and pomegranate. The soft red fruit is lifted by bright acidity, fine bubbles, and a chalky minerality.

Average price: $96
Rating: 93

Laurent Perrier Cuvée Rosé NV

Though this historic Champagne house crafts a wide range of expressions, we’re always captivated by its wonderfully generous rosé. The nose is floral with pops of orange blossom and strawberry tops, and the palate brings deeper notes of whipped cream covered in lemon zest and freshly baked raspberry danishes.

Average price: $120
Rating: 94

Krug Rosé 29ème Édition NV

While Krug’s Grand Cuvée is undoubtedly a stunning, iconic wine, the Champagne house’s rosé is truly transcendent. The 29ème Édition bottling is a blend of 29 wines from five different years, the oldest from 2010. The final blend is 44 percent Pinot Noir, 34 percent Chardonnay, and 22 percent Pinot Meunier. The blend includes 11 percent traditionally macerated red wine from Pinot Noir, adding a nice core of fruit and a lovely deep-magenta color. The wine brims with notes of ripe raspberries, pomegranate juice, and freshly baked cranberry muffins. The palate has an incredible depth, with creamy vanilla notes balanced by bright acidity and minerality. It’s a wonderfully balanced wine and a really indulgent Champagne experience.

Average price: $425
Rating: 97

FAQs

What type of Champagne is most popular?

The most popular type of Champagne is brut, a dry style of sparkling wine.

How is Champagne different from still wine?

Champagne is a sparkling wine made in the traditional method, or méthode champenoise, meaning it undergoes a secondary fermentation inside of the bottle and has strict aging regulations. Unlike still wine, Champagne is known for its bubbles!

Where does Champagne come from?

All Champagne must be produced in Champagne, France.

The article The 25 Best Champagnes for 2025 appeared first on VinePair.