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Cellar Favorite: 1990 Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle Lumière du Millénaire
France: Champagne, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Aug 2025
I am not really a Champagne aficionado, so when a sparkler does stop me in my tracks, it tends to make a deep impression.
Remembering Frédéric Panaïotis
Vinous Remembers, France: Champagne, featured
, Aug 2025
I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Frédéric Panaïotis in a diving accident earlier this summer. He was just 60 years old. Judging by the outpouring of support from the many people whose lives he touched, I was not alone. Panaïotis was one of the great ambassadors of Champagne, a rare Chef de Cave who was deeply versed in the technical aspects of winemaking and equally skilled in conveying tremendous passion and enthusiasm.
Cellar Favorite: 1988 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé
France: Champagne, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jun 2025
If you have bottles of the 1988 Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé left in your cellar, do not hesitate to crack them open now.
Cellar Favorite: 1979 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Rosé
France: Champagne, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Apr 2025
The 1979 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. At 45 years of age, the 1979 remains timeless, a testament to how well Champagne can age.
Vinous Table: Restaurant La Grande Georgette, Champagne, France
France: Champagne, Vinous Table
, Apr 2025
I am always on the hunt for new places to eat in Champagne. Located in the Cazerne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, literally in front of the Reims Cathedral, La Grande Georgette is a welcome addition to my personal list of favorites.
Cellar Favorite: Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée 2006 & 2003
France: Champagne, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Apr 2025
Vilmart’s Coeur de Cuvée is one of the most consistently outstanding wines in Champagne because of how well it shows in both strong and challenging years. The 2006 and 2003 are peaking today, making them fine choices for readers who enjoy mature Champagne.
2025 Champagne: New Releases
France: Champagne, featured
, Apr 2025
My annual March trip to Champagne is always one the highlights of the year. Many producers are preparing to launch their new releases. At the larger houses, this is the time when winemakers are finalizing their blends and deciding whether or not they are going to bottle their tête de cuvées. With spring around the corner, thoughts start to turn to the young vintage and what it might bring. This year, things were different. Deep concerns about the global economy cast a pall on every tasting. That’s a shame, because Champagne continues to be one of the most dynamic regions in the world.
Vinous Icons: Roederer – Four Decades of Cristal & Cristal Rosé
France: Champagne, featured
, Nov 2024
This retrospective tasting of Cristal and Cristal Rosé at Le Bernardin during the inaugural edition of Vinous Icons was a fabulous opportunity to taste a series of reference point vintages paired with Eric Ripert’s dazzling cuisine. Could there be a better way to spend a Friday afternoon? I think not.
Champagne: The 2024 Spring Preview and Fall Additions
France: Champagne, featured
, Dec 2024
Our annual Champagne Spring Preview takes a look at the year’s first releases ahead of my more comprehensive coverage later in the year. Readers will find a bevy of gorgeous wines in this report that span the full stylistic breadth of what Champagne has to offer.
Cellar Favorite: 1982 Pol Roger Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
France: Champagne, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Feb 2024
Our greatest Prime Minister, after Liz Truss, had impeccable taste in Champagne. Though I must drink far less bubbly than Sir Winston Churchill, which is probably why, like most people, I have always enjoyed the cuvée created in his honor. As the story goes, the PM met Odette Pol Roger in 1944 at the British Embassy in Paris, and their families struck up a close friendship.