10 Champagnes to enjoy this Easter 2024
Easter is coming early this year, Easter Sunday is 31 March. How they, whoever they are, decide when the big day is anyone’s business. All we know is that it’s another great excuse to enjoy delicious things like chocolate and indeed chocolatey liqueurs. But no celebration is complete without Champagne – Lucozade isn’t going to cut the mustard. So we’ve rounded up some of the best bottles around from affordable sparklers to high end bottles that will make fantastic gifts to the important people in your life.
So without further ado, here are our 10 Champagnes to enjoy this Easter:
Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé 75cl
Definitely a cut above most rosé Champagne, this is made from especially-chosen parcels of wine for a rich, highly fruity flavour. The blend is majority pinot noir, 50%, with some of that being red wine to give it its red fruit and pink hue, the rest is equal parts chardonnay and pinot noir. The palate is alive with dark cherries and strawberries with notes of orange peel, croissant, hazelnut and vanilla. This would be great to sip with lighter meat dishes.
Gallimard Pére et Fils Les Riceys Blanc de Noirs 75cl
A Champagne Cuvée Réserve from Gallimard Pére et Fils, based in the Aube region. The Champagne is produced in the Les Riceys town, famous for pinot noirs, which is handy because this Blanc de Noirs is made entirely from pinot noir grapes! Expect well-balanced red summer fruits, a burst of tropical fruit and a delicate mousse. Perfect as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to rich seafood dishes.
Paul Déthune Brut 75cl
The big names of Champagne do own some vineyards but also buy in a lot of fruit. In contrast Paul Dethune is a grower Champagne house meaning that all the grapes used come from the producer’s own vineyards. It’s a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay grapes from Grand Cru vineyards in Ambonnay. This has a super fresh lemony nose and on the palate it’s very dry and tangy with great balance. Try it with oysters, you won’t regret it.
Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2015 75cl
It’s the 76th Grand Vintage from Möet & Chandon! The 2015 growing season was a tumultuous one which produced some excellent grapes nonetheless, pinot noir in particular. This vintage is a blend of 44% pinot noir, 32% chardonnay, and 24% meunier grapes, and it’s got a lightness to it, with floral notes and green freshness. There’s brioche French toast, with lightly toasted almonds, floral honey, and delicate apricot and plum.
Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve 75cl
There are three houses with Heidsieck in their names, but this one is considered to be the best. It was founded by Charles Heidsieck aka ‘Champagne Charlie’ in the 19th century. It’s non-vintage is consistently one of the best Champagnes around, and seems to be on particularly good form at the moment. Stick your nose in and you’ll find orange and lemon peel. Palate is creamy like custard and then those citrus notes come in again. It has enough body to serve with chicken dishes as well as fish.
Taittinger Brut Prestige Rosé 75cl
Rosé Champagne is usually made from adding a little red wine made from Pinot Noir grapes to a white wine. In this case there’s 15% red from the highly-regarded vineyards of Ambonnay and Bouzy, creating a pink with some serious oomph to it. We reckon this is one of the best Rosé Champagnes on the market. Pink Champagne can be a bit meh, but not this one. It’s all dark cherries, ripe strawberries and meaty savoury notes.
Deutz Brut Classic 75cl
Another under-the radar Champagne house, Deutz, it’s pronounced ‘dutts’ by the way, is owned by Bollinger so as you can imagine the quality is extremely high. The house style, however, the opposite of big rich Bolly, Deutz is citrussy, refreshing and clean. Very different, but equally delicious. Lemon sherbet fruit with white peach, pear, brioche, pastry and biscuit notes. Lighter style but no shortage of depth here. Try it in a French 75.
Pol Roger vintage 2013 75cl
We love Pol Roger’s classic NV, but the vintage wines are always a extra treat. This 2013 is made up of the usual blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. After a full malolactic fermentation the wine was aged for seven years in the cellars before being released. It was a cooler vintage so expect raciness aplenty. You’ll discover a big burst of green apple on the nose, followed by lemon and yeasty notes. Very fresh on the palate, with more green apple followed by yeasty, brioche and lemon peel.
Krug Grande Cuvée 75cl
The King of Champagnes… Krug is truly spectacular, combining exceptional pressings from many different years to produce a consistently excellent ‘multi-vintage’ Champagne. If you’ve never tried Krug, then you are in for a treat, it’s always incredibly rich with layers of stone fruit, orange peel, hazelnuts, toasted brioche, vanilla and spice. It never disappoints and makes a present that won’t be forgotten.
Dom Pérignon 2013 75cl
The big one, it’s the Dom! Named after top monk Dom Perignon it’s the original prestige cuvee and probably the most distinctive bottle in Champagne. It’s also year in, year out one of the finest wines in the region. 2013 was a fresh vintage creating a wine that strikes a perfect balance between refined and rich, this Champagne should age very well indeed, but if you can’t wait, then it makes an ideal pairing with the freshest of seafood.
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