New Releases from Champagne

by Antonio Galloni

Once again I was completely blown away by the wines I tasted from Champagne, first during a visit to the region earlier in the year, and later in tastings in the US. I am convinced Champagne is the world’s greatest wine region that remains virtually undiscovered by the vast majority of wine lovers. Sure, most consumers are familiar with the icon wines; Dom Pérignon, Cristal, Krug Vintage, Comtes de Champagne, to name a few. There is nothing wrong with that, as those wines all have brilliant track records for developing in the cellar. But Champagne can be so much more than its widely marketed image as a purely celebratory drink or apéritif wine meant to be followed by more ‘serious’ bottles at dinner. Champagne is one of the world’s most food-friendly wines, with a huge variety of different expressions that can suit just about any cuisine or occasion. I hope readers will take the plunge and start drinking these wines not just during the holidays but year round at the dinner table, where the best bottles will offer a superb drinking experience.