Gosset Grand Rose, Champagne N.V.
Price $65
Rating 92
"The red wine in the blending comes through in the bouquet," observes Champagne expert Alexis Bespaloff, "the Gosset Grand Rose is a different sort of wine better suited to serve with lighter foods. The length is long and pronounced."

A sip reveals a more chewy version of a predictably elegant Champagne. Bright red fruit such as red cherry peaks through from within the moderately crisp, citrus derived flavors. The blend is 55% chardonnay, 35% pinot noir and finished with 10% of the red wine pinot meneure.

"No other fine wine is tasted so carelessly as Champagne, sometimes in paper cups," laments Bespaloff moderator for an important Champagne seminar during the Sante Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta (www.santafewineandchile.org), and former wine columnist for New York and Elle, "You want Champagne to be cold, like you want Pepsi to be cold. The cold and the bubbles are important tactile sensations. The bubbles, ideally, should be tiny and last for a long time, The wrong wine glass can ruin the bubbles. The ideal glass is more of a bowl rather than a flute to emphasis the bouquet."

Alfred Gratien, Brut Classique, Champagne N.V.
Price $39
Rating 92
Crisp, creamy, this magnificent bubbly is well balanced with elegant flavors and complexities. Though Gratien & Meyer Alfred Gratien is lesser known in the US for producing Champagne, the house of Gratien & Meyer has a loyal British following. It is also a favorite of other producers in Champagne proper, though they are less prone to announce this in public. The blend is chardonnay, pinot meneure, and pinot noir.

"I have always thought that champagne must be to wine what haute couture is to fashion," says Alfred Gratien. The wine speaks for itself. For more details, go to www.alfredgratien.com.

Krug Grande Cuvée, Champagne N.V.
Price $140
Rating 96
"Krug Grande Cuvée is as a symphony, a composition where the instruments all play together, complementing each other in total harmony," says winemaker Henri Krug. The house prefers to refer to this special wine as multi-vintage rather than non-vintage (N.V.). It is a magnificent blend of both varietals and vintages.

Considered the flagship of the house, Grande Cuvée is imposing in character from the first sip. There is no formula or recipe for Krug Grande Cuvée. Each year the Krug family meets to re-create the Krug Grande Cuvée. This is done with careful attention to the most minute detail so that after six years of aging, it will be in perfect continuity with previous Krugs. "The bouquet is wonderfully creamy," adds Krug, "leading to magical combination of weight and balance on the palate. The long, lingering finish is both nutty and toasty, ending with a final flourish of freshness, leaving one longing for more."

Krug "Clos du Mesnil", Champagne 1988
Price $370
Rating 97
In the Krug tradition of releasing Champagnes only in exceptional vintages, the Clos du Mesnil 1988 marks the eighth Krug vintage to be declared from this famous vineyard, founded in 1698.

Krug is the only House which still ferments all its Champagnes in small oak barrels, and the Clos du Mesnil is no exception. Unlike Krug’s other Champagnes, however, the Clos du Mesnil is a blanc de blancs - comprised solely of Chardonnay grapes. The grapes are grown exclusively in the “Clos du Mesnil,” a tiny (4.57) acre vineyard, which has been enclosed by a stone wall (clos) for more than 300 years. The wall and surrounding village (Le Mesnil-sur-Oger) protect the vineyard from frost and wind and help create a unique microclimate. Considered a classic vintage in Champagne, 1988 was marked by a hot summer, with cooler temperatures in September. Grapes reached good maturity by harvest, and the wines were soon praised for their great balance and aging potential.

"The Krug Clos du Mesnil 1988 is both powerful and fresh. Its fragrant bouquet is marked by notes of vanilla, orange flower and dried figs. On the palate, it is well-structured, with a richness characteristic of the Krug style," says Henri Krug, fifth-generation winemaker, "and the Clos du Mesnil 1988 reflects a perfect equilibrium of the wine’s terroir, the chardonnay grape and the 1988 vintage, with a long future ahead of it." As far as Champagne goes, this is near perfection.

Montaudon, Champagne N.V.
Price $33
Rating 93
Montaudon is among a very few high quality Champagne houses, in that they are still owned entirely by the founding family. They handcraft, in a traditional méthode Champenoise fashion, Champagne from their small vineyard estate. They compete successfully with the best wines from the more famous Champagne houses at almost half the price. Champagne is one of the most food-flexible of wines, but sadly is too often served only before or after the meal. Serving the Montaudon Brut Champagne with dinner both creates a festive mood and makes good dining sense.

The house style of the Montaudon is full flavored and toasty, with notes of roasted almond and yeasty brioche toast, melded with tart apple and zesty citrus elements. This is an assertive, masculine styled bubbly, and at the low price, can be enjoyed more often. The bottle is easy to spot, as there is simple black writing on a simple white label with a distinctive red "M", prominently centered within the label.

Mumm "Cordon Rouge" Champagne N.V.
Price $38
Rating 93
Mumm's Cordon Rouge, launched in 1876 with the distinctive red sash of the French Legion of Honor, is one of the world's most recognizable and most popular Champagnes. It is a blend of Pinot Noir (45%), Chardonnay (30%) and Pinot Meunier (25%).