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Champagne producers are expecting this year’s harvest to be the earliest yet, potentially a month earlier than a few decades ago. Vineyards in the famed French sparkling wine region are experiencing a prolonged heatwave and drought conditions, which, if it continues, could see grapes ready for harvest by Aug. 15, according to reports in the regional newspaper, Journal L’Union.
But even with rising temperatures and potentially riper grapes, winemakers in the region maintain the fresh and consistent flavours of popular brands by blending wines from the current vintage with older reserve wines. Most Champagnes are released as non-vintage products, which allows producers to balance a riper vintage, as 2026 promises to be, with wines grown in a cooler year that have higher acidity levels.
In the past, Champagne producers used to worry about struggling to ripen their grapes, which is why they started to build an extensive inventory of older wines in reserve. Those vintage stocks are equally valuable to smooth out the variables from warmer vintages.
Individual winemakers will use wines made from different grapes and different years to create a base wine with the desired flavour characteristics. That base wine is bottled with a mixture of sugar and yeast to produce a second fermentation to create the bubbles and additional alcohol (usually around 1.5 per cent more) to the finished sparkling wine. Here are three recommendations for well-known non-vintage Champagnes (perhaps multi-vintage is more apt term) to enjoy now.
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne (France), $104.95
Rating: 94
Bollinger Special Cuvée boasts a distinctively rich and compelling character, with nutty, savoury and biscuity flavours developed through a blend of grape varieties, fermentation techniques and blending.
On the palate, this is fine and elegant with a creamy texture and a lingering finish.
This has 12 per cent ABV and 8 g/litre r.s.
Drink now to 2032.
Available at the above price in Ontario, $112.99 in British Columbia, various prices in Alberta, $112.95 in Manitoba, $103 in Quebec, $111.31 in New Brunswick, $111.16 in Nova Scotia.
Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Champagne (France), $62.95
Rating: 89
Established in 1976, Nicolas Feuillatte has grown quickly to become one of the most popular Champagne brands, producing more than 10 million bottles each year.
The easy-going appeal of its non-vintage sparkling wine is based on its pleasant pear and apple flavours, which are rounded out by toasty and toffee notes.
Its generous, mouth-filling character is balanced by a crisp, refreshing, lingering finish.
This has 12 per cent ABV and 8 g/litre r.s.
Drink now to 2028.
Available at the above price in Ontario, various prices in Alberta, $62.99 in Manitoba, $65 in Quebec.
Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne (France), $91.15
Rating: 90
This multi-vintage blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier represents the majority of Taittinger’s production each year.
Based on a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier grapes, it’s made in a crowd-pleasing style, with satisfying citrus and ripe apple fruit enhanced by bready and chalky notes.
This has 12.5 per cent ABV and 9 g/litre r.s.
Drink now to 2029.
Available at the above price in Ontario, $83.99 in British Columbia, various prices in Alberta and Saskatchewan, $85.50 in Quebec, $109.49 in New Brunswick, $112 in Nova Scotia, $110.99 in Newfoundland.
