The world’s only international champagne publication and a renowned authority- FINE Champagne Magazine – went through the rigorous process of naming and ranking the 100 best champagnes now available on the market. 

Putting brand images and prices aside, FINE blind tasted over 1000 samples of the current champagne offering; prestige cuvées, vintages and non-vintages.  

Our top ten comprises of many classics but it also gave us some fantastic surprises. Our highest rating went to Armand de Brignac: a fine, smooth and creamy champagne with underlying power and great mineral freshness. Our panel praised the wine for its classic style and perfect drinkability today that does not compromise its ageing capacity. It has everything a truly great champagne can offer, and the packaging – the distinctive, showy golden “ace of spades” bottle – serves as a brilliant example of Armand de Brignac’s courageous, successful branding. 

TOP 4

1. 96p    NV Armand de Brignac

2. 95p    2000 Dom Pérignon

3. 94p    1998 Mumm Cuvée R. Lalou

4. 94p    2002 Roederer Cristal

The full report is revealed in next FINE Champagne Magazine. The publication date for issue 4 is November 11th, 2009.