No other beverage embodies prestige and refinement as perfectly as champagne, particularly the emblematic cuvées from houses such as Dom Pérignon, Ruinart or Moët & Chandon. What makes champagne the ultimate symbol of elegance? Discover the essentials about this emblematic sparkling wine.
Why is champagne an exceptional sparkling wine?
Champagne is subject to one of the strictest specifications in the world, combining precise geographical delimitation, limited grape varieties, controlled yields and elaboration according to the traditional method with prolonged aging on lees. Thus, even a non-vintage brut champagne stands out for its aromatic complexity and finesse, making it an exceptional product compared to most other sparkling wines.
What are the most famous Champagne houses?
For centuries, certain prestigious houses have shaped the history and reputation of Champagne. Here is an overview of the emblematic names that make the whole world sparkle:
Ruinart Champagne
Founded in 1729, Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house. Visionary, it was the first to elaborate a rosé champagne, the famous Ruinart Rosé. Its emblematic cuvées, Blanc de Blancs, R de Ruinart and Dom Ruinart, embody elegance and enjoy immense popularity throughout the world.
Dom Pérignon Champagne
Dom Pérignon stands out for exclusively vintage champagnes, sought after for their rarity and refinement. Among its most iconic creations: the Plénitude cuvées, in white and rosé, as well as highly coveted special editions.
Veuve Clicquot Champagne
The emblematic house Veuve Clicquot is known worldwide for its Carte Jaune cuvée, a non-vintage brut with incomparable freshness and structure. The house also shines with its rosé champagnes, vintage champagnes and the prestigious La Grande Dame cuvée.
Louis Roederer Champagne
Since 1776, the Louis Roederer house embodies Champagne excellence. It combines the richness of a unique terroir with constant demanding standards, offering exceptional champagnes that reflect know-how passed down from generation to generation.
Moët & Chandon Champagne
A global symbol of luxury and celebration, Moët & Chandon has built its reputation on the legendary Brut Impérial, the world's best-selling champagne. Founded in 1743, the house also cultivates the largest wine estate in Champagne, with approximately 1,150 hectares owned and nearly 3,000 hectares in supply.
Laurent-Perrier Champagne
Founded in 1812, the Laurent-Perrier house is a family story that has established itself for more than two centuries as a global reference for champagne. It successfully combines tradition and permanent quest for innovation, embodied notably by the Grand Siècle cuvée, true emblem of its know-how.
Perrier-Jouët Champagne
Founded in 1811 by the union of two passionate individuals, the Perrier-Jouët house has been creating for more than two centuries cuvées combining finesse, aromatic richness and authentic expression of the great Champagne terroirs.
A mosaic of large formats
Melchisedek, Primat, Solomon, Nebuchadnezzar, Balthazar, Salmanazar, Methuselah, Rehoboam, Jeroboam, magnum, Bottle or even half bottle... if there is a cuvée to celebrate every event, then there is also a champagne bottle format that suits every celebration.
Delicious food pairings
As an ideal partner for an aperitif, champagne, symbol of French art de vivre and conviviality, can also be drunk during the meal. Through its style, its character, its sweetness and its blend, each cuvée can inspire refined and bold food and wine combinations with appetizers, meat or fish dishes, but also with gastronomic desserts.
Champagne FAQ: our answers to your questions
How is champagne made?
Champagne is made through a method called méthode traditionnelle, or traditional method. It starts with fermenting specific grape varieties—primarily chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier—into still wine. A blend of these base wines is then bottled with added sugar and yeast, which triggers a second fermentation in the bottle, producing carbon dioxide and creating bubbles. The wine is aged on its lees (yeast sediment) for several months to develop flavor and complexity. After aging, the sediment is removed through a process called riddling and disgorgement, and a small amount of sugar (dosage) is added before final corking, resulting in the sparkling wine known as Champagne.
What are the different types of champagne?
Blanc de blancs and blanc de noirs
Blanc de Blancs (Chardonnay) stands out for its freshness and elegance, Blanc de Noirs (Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier) for its power and finesse.
Vintage champagne
Vintages, produced in exceptional years, embody the summit of excellence. Discover our range of vintage champagnes from the most prestigious houses in our portfolio!
Brut, Extra Brut, Zéro Dosage …
Champagne is classified by its level of sweetness, determined by the dosage. Brut Champagne is the most common style, with less than 12 grams of sugar per liter, offering a dry and crisp profile. Extra Brut is even drier, containing 0–6 grams of sugar per liter, emphasizing the wine’s natural acidity and freshness. Sec Champagne is noticeably sweeter, with 17–32 grams of sugar per liter, providing a richer, more rounded taste while still retaining sparkling elegance.
Rosé champagne
Obtained either by maceration of black grapes or by blending a red wine and a white wine, rosé champagnes offer freshness and elegance.
