Expensive | Sweet | French | Cheap | Black-Owned

Most Expensive Champagne Brands 

#1. Krug

The Brand: In 1843, Krug was established in Reims, France by Johann-Josef Krug, a German immigrant. After he died in 1866, Krug’s son took over, and this brand became a family business. Today, the family is still involved with major business decisions, but Krug is owned by LVMH, a multinational conglomerate.

Need To Know: Krug specializes in Krug Grande Cuvée, which is a blend of over 120 wines, derived from three different grape varieties. One bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée takes about 20 years to produce.

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#2. Champagne Cattier

The Brand: Although the Cattier family has owned vineyards since 1625, this family did not sell their first bottle of champagne until 1918. In 1967, this company became the first to produce 100,000 bottles in one year. After almost 400 years of making champagne, Cattier remains a family-owned business.

Need To Know: Cattier launched a new brand of champagne, the Armand de Brignac, in 2006. Four years later, this bottle was named “the best champagne in the world” by the Fine Champagne Magazine. 

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#3. Champagne Perrier-Jouët

The Brand: Champagne Perrier-Jouët was founded in 1811 by Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose-Adélaïde Jouët, who were married the year prior. In 1902, this brand’s iconic bottle, inspired by Japanese anemones, was designed by Emile Gallé. In 2020, the company named Séverine Frerson as cellarmaster, who became the first woman in the history of the brand to ever hold this title.

Need To Know: Perrier-Jouët created Perrier-Jouët Cuvée K, a Champagne that contained only 5% sugar, which was uncharacteristic of the time period. This revolutionized the champagne industry by popularizing “Brut Champagne.” 

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#4. Laurent-Perrier

The Brand: Laurant-Perrier was founded in 1812 by André Michel Pierlot, a former cask maker. After changing ownership several times throughout its history, this brand is now owned by Stéphanie Meneux de Nonancourt and Alexandra Pereyre de Nonancourt. This company is currently the largest family- and female-owned champagne brand. 

Need To Know: Laurent-Perrier’s signature style is fresh and elegant. Their grapes are produced by using a higher-than-normal percentage of Chardonnay grapes, which happen to be the most expensive in the region.

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#5. Louie Roederer

The Brand: Based in Reims, France, this company was founded under a different name in 1776, but was renamed to the current name, Louie Roederer, in 1833. By the 1870s, this brand was exporting its champagne to the United States. Around this time, Louie Roederer II created an exclusive champagne for Tsar Alexander II of Russia, which became the very first Cuvée de Prestige, named “Cristal.”

Need To Know: Louie Roederer continues to be an independent and family-owned company, exporting three million bottles of champagne per year.

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Top Sweet Champagne Brands 

#1. Billecart-Salmon

The Brand: Billecart-Salmon was established in 1818 by husband and wife, Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon. This company was founded in the village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, and has remained there for over six generations.

Need To Know: This family-owned Champagne house has held to its motto, “Give priority to quality, strive for excellence.” They give priority to selecting high-quality grapes, and these grapes are put through one of the last traditional presses in the region.

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#2. Jacquart

The Brand: In 1964, Jacquart was founded in Reims by a group of 18 grape growers. At this point, this group has grown to over 1500 growers. Jacquart handpicks their grapes and softly presses them in the winery. Fermenting takes place in stainless steel vats, and a second fermenting takes place after bottling.

Need To Know: Jacquart champagne is produced from a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. They specialize in a blend that is fresh, fruity, and light on the oak. This brand has three ranges: the Mosaique, the Vintage, and the Alpha series.

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#3. Pol Roger

The Brand: Pol Roger was founded in 1849, and by 1899, was finally gaining popularity. They expanded their selection of wine in 1955, which led to this brand becoming even more popular and increasing its sales.

Need To Know: Pol Roger owns a 92-hectare vineyard, but also works hard to ensure its grapes are sourced from high-quality growers. This brand is recognized worldwide as having a high standard of excellence, consistency, and quality.

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#4. Piper-Heidsieck

The Brand: In 1775, ​​Florens-Louis Heidsieck founded the wine trading company, Heidsieck & Co. His nephew, Christian Heidsieck, took over the business after his death. He partnered with a talented businessman, Henri-Guillaume Piper. Christian died in 1835, and in 1838, his wife remarried Henri-Guillaume Piper, birthing the brand we know today as Piper-Heidsieck.

Need To Know: This brand’s champagne is crafted from 55-60% Pinot Noir, 10-15% Chardonnay, and 15-20% Pinot Meunier. The remaining percentage is filled in by reserve wines that correct any oddities in the blend.

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#5. Deutz

The Brand: Formerly known as Deutz & Geldermann, this brand was established in 1838. The founders, William Deutz and Pierre-Hubert Geldermann, were originally wine traders, but then graduated on to buying vineyards and making champagne. By 1934, over 100,000 bottles were sold, which eventually increased to 200,000 bottles a year into the 1950s.

Need To Know: Deutz’s non-vintage range includes Brut Classic, Extra-Brut, Rosé, and Demi-Sec. Their vintage range includes a brut, a rosé, Blanc de Blancs, and a demi-sec. This brand’s champagne is characterized as elegant and complex.

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Top French Champagne Brands 

#1. AR Lenoble

The Brand: AR Lenoble was established in 1920 by Armand-Raphaël Graser. This brand is still family-owned; the current owners are the great-grandchildren of Graser, and there are no outside shareholders invested in this company. AR Lenoble harvests their own grapes, used for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier

Need To Know: AR Lenoble is committed to harvesting the healthiest grapes possible. Biodiversity is an important value for this company, and they practice this value by planting hedgerows that stabilize the soil, while also letting beehives and grass abound in the vineyards.

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#2. Salon

The Brand: Salon Champagne was first created in 1905, purely for the pleasure of its founder, Eugène-Aimé Salon. He didn’t sell this creation until the 1920s. This brand only owns a single hectare plot, and 19 other small plots, which were chosen by the original founder.

Need To Know: Salon is made completely from Chardonnay. The wine is aged in Salon’s cellars for an average of 10 years. This company’s champagne is considered rare; only 37 vintages were produced throughout the 20th century.

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#3. Veuve Clicquot

The Brand: Based in Reims, Veuve Clicquot was founded in 1772. Francois Clicquot, the founder’s son, had taken over the business, but then passed away in 1805. His wife, Madame Cliquot, took over the company, which made her one of the first businesswomen in the western world. She proved herself when she created the first-known vintage champagne in the region.

Need To Know: Louis Vuitton acquired Veuve Clicquot in 1986, and Vuitton’s conglomerate, LVMH, was founded the next year. Veuve Clicquot prides itself on its excellence and quality, and its wines are known for their strength and complexity.

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#4. Bollinger

The Brand: Bollinger was founded as Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie on February 6th,1829 by Joeseph Bollinger and Paul Renaudin. Joseph was in charge of sales and Paul of the cellar. Eventually, Bollinger’s children took over the business. This brand was family-led until 2008, in which someone outside of the family, Jérôme Philipon, was appointed as Chairman.

Need To Know: Bollinger has a large vineyard, covering over 179 hectares, mostly producing Pinot Noir. They let their wines age twice the amount of time that is required, aiming for the wine to have enough time to develop its full character.

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#5. Moët & Chandon

The Brand: Moët & Chandon was created in 1743 by Claude Moët. Producing around 30 million bottles every year, this is the largest Champagne house in the world. The company doesn’t just sell champagne, but other luxury beverages, such as Dom Perignon and Hennessy.

Need To Know: The Moët Impérial, the brand’s signature style, is elegant and fruity with slightly nutty cereal notes. It is derived from the three classic grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.

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Top Cheap Champagne Brands

#1. Nicolas Feuillatte

The Brand: Nicolas Feuillatte founded this brand in 1976, originally producing champagne for his American friends. In 1986, Nicolas Feuillatte joined forces with the Centre Vinicole, a group of winegrowers. This joint venture became known as the Centre Vinicole-Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte.

Need To Know: In 1995, this company sold 1 million bottles of champagne, and then 19 years later, reached 10 million in a year. The brand sources its wine from 82 cooperatives, comprised of 4,500 winegrowers in Champagne, and the Union of Individual Producers, comprised of 1,000 winegrowers. All of Nicolas Feuillatte’s champagnes are aged at least three to ten years.

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#2. Saint-Hilaire

The Brand: Also known as Blanquette de Limoux, this is France’s oldest sparkling wine. Saint-Hilaire’s history dates back as far as 1531, when Benedictine monks worked the Limoux vineyards. By 1794, this sparkling wine had become popular throughout France and had even been discovered in the United States by Thomas Jefferson.

Need To Know: Saint-Hilaire’s grapes are derived from southern France, at the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains. All of their grapes are picked by hand, and the wine is aged for a minimum of 12 months in the bottle. For around $10 a bottle, this champagne is extremely affordable.

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#3. André

The Brand: André was established in 1966 by E. & J. Gallo Winery, with the goal of bringing champagne to Americans at an affordable rate. Today, this brand is the number one sparkling wine in the United States.

Need To Know: André offers many affordable champagnes, including Moscato, several brut varieties, and even canned drinks. You can buy André for under $5, so this is an extremely affordable choice.

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#4. Wycliff

The Brand: Wycliff is owned by E. & J. Gallo Winery, which was established in 1933 by Ernest and Julio Gallo. Wycliff Brut is a non-vintage sparkling wine made from California grapes. This champagne is described as slightly sweet, with a clean finish.

Need To Know: Wycliff champagnes have a “Twist and Pop” bottle, making it easy to preserve leftovers. At $6 a bottle, this is one of the most affordable champagne brands.

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#5. Graham Beck

The Brand: Graham Beck was founded in 1983 in Robertson, Western Cape, making this company one of South Africa’s first sparkling wine brands. This is a family-owned brand that is run today by Antony Beck, the son of Graham and Rhona Beck. 

Need To Know: Graham Beck specializes in producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This brand is committed to sustainability by restoring and conserving the environment while producing fine wine.

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Top Black Owned Champagne Brands 

#1. Stuyvesant Champagne

The Brand: Marvina Robinson founded Stuyvesant Champagne in Brooklyn, becoming one of the only African-American women to own a champagne brand. The wine comes from a vineyard in France, and is made up of around 70% Pinot Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay.

Need To Know: Stuyvesant Champagne offers two main selections: Rosé and Grand Reserve Brut. All of Stuyvesant’s winemaking is done locally by hand.

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#2. McBride Sisters

The Brand: McBride Sisters was founded in 2005 by Robin and Andréa McBride, who had a mission to change the wine industry, cultivate community, and lead by example. Today, this brand is the largest Black-owned wine brand in the United States.

Need To Know: McBride Sisters are committed to sustainability, inclusivity, and accessibility. Their wines are derived from New Zealand and California’s central coast.

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#3. Lapin Rouillé

The Brand: Lapin Rouillé was founded by Nicole Johnson in the UK, making this brand the first female, black-owned champagne brand to be sold in Britain. This is the second female black-owned champagne brand sold in the United States. 

Need To Know: Lapin Rouillé is solely made from Pinot Meunier, in contrast to most champagnes sold today. All of the wine used for this champagne is sourced by a single producer.

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#4. Billionaire’s Row

The Brand: William Benson first started working on the concept of Billionaire’s Row in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2018 that he joined forces with Patrick Ductant, creating the brand that is known today.

Need To Know: Billionaire’s Row brut rosé is created at Duménil, a wine production house in Reims. The champagne is described as light, floral, and fruity, and is made from the trifecta of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.

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#5. Esrever Wines

The Brand: Esrever Wines was established by three best friends from Queens, New York. In 2018, six years after it was founded, Esrever started to expand and acquire new clients.

Need To Know: This is a 100% black-owned brand with all three owners being under the age of 35. Their sparkling wine collection includes a Chardonnay & Chenin Blanc Blend, which is described as crisp, fruity, and light.

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