Champagne is the elixir of life!

Round & About’s wine critic Giles Luckett hails Champagne as the elixir of life & serves five to try

Champagne and Heart Health: The Scientific Backing

It’s official: champagne is good for your health and can help prevent sudden cardiac arrest. This latest finding comes from the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, not some viral post on social media. Inspired by this uplifting news, I’d like to recommend some champagnes that feel like a celebration all on their own.

Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée Extra-Brut: A Classic Favorite

First up is the Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée Extra-Brut (Hedonism £44). Founded in 1981, Bruno Paillard quickly earned a reputation for excellence. I first tasted it in 1994 while at Laithwaites, and it has remained a go-to wine ever since. This blend of Pinot and Chardonnay uses 25% barrel-fermented base wine, adding richness and nuttiness. You’ll notice elegant peach, pear, brioche, and lemon tones. It tastes glorious on its own and pairs beautifully with baked fish, fresh seafood, and poultry.

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Pol Roger Réserve: Reliable and Joyful

Pol Roger Réserve (Songbird Wines £50.50) always brings joy. This classic blend features equal parts Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. Its white-gold color sparkles with fine bubbles, while orchard fruits, summer berries, and creamy yeast aromas rise from the glass. Medium-bodied, it balances soft yellow and tangy red fruit notes, vanilla spice, and a hint of salinity. The finish is long and dry, making it a reliable, comforting choice.

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Taittinger Brut Réserve: Elegant and Intense

Taittinger Brut Réserve (Majestic £35 on a mixed six) is never absent from my cellar—except when it’s chilling in the fridge. Known for its elegance, this champagne also has substance. Its white-gold color hosts tiny, graceful bubbles. The bouquet offers classic scents of apple, peaches in syrup, red berries, and brioche. On the palate, pear and berries dominate, while citrus, hazelnut, and saline notes add complexity. It pairs perfectly with Dover sole.

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Rosé Champagnes: Double the Celebration

If champagne lifts your spirits, rosé champagnes do it twice over. While I’m not a clinician, I find Veuve Clicquot Rosé (Tesco £57) truly life-affirming. Its mid-pink color features subtle amber shades. Aromas include summer berries, cream, apricots, and spices. On the palate, it’s elegant yet rounded, with red and black berry fruit, tangy citrus, and mandarin orange flavors finishing on a toasty note. Pink lamb and game birds make ideal food matches.

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Piaff Brut Rosé: Bursting with Joy

The PIAFF Brut Rosé (Champagne PIAFF £42.50) delivers exuberance. Raspberries, loganberries, redcurrants, and floral notes leap from its rose-petal body. In the mouth, red and black fruits mingle with hints of violets, creamy yeast, and crunchy, chalky minerals. This wine is perfect for summer parties.

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Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut: A Challenging Delight

For a wine that stimulates both mind and palate, try the Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut (The Finest Bubble £66). At first tasting, I found it severe, lean, and punishingly dry compared to other Brut champagnes. But over time, I grew to respect and adore it. Its ultra-low residual sugar (0.9 g/l) and six years of bottle aging create a unique experience. This white-gold wine offers aromas of green apple, white peach, and flint. Flavors of lemon, grapefruit, white raspberries, and green apple follow. Bottle aging mellows these, adding nutty yeastiness and a honeyed mouthfeel. Serve chilled as an aperitif or with white fish, poultry, or roasted artichokes in butter.

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Blanc de Noirs: A Hidden Gem

Blanc de Noirs champagnes took me a while to appreciate. Many are produced cheaply, which gives a poor impression. But some fine houses make excellent Blanc de Noirs with healthy proportions of Pinot Noir. Take Champagne Palmer Blanc de Noirs (Finest Bubble, £50). A 50-50 blend of Pinot Noir and Meunier, aged five years in bottle, it’s beautifully structured. Expect white and yellow-skinned fruits, with red berries in the background alongside yeast, spearmint, and vanilla essences.

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Blanc de Blancs: Refinement and Power

Blanc de Blancs champagnes use only white grapes, known for their refinement. The Ruinart Blanc de Blancs (N D John Wines £79.95) balances style and substance perfectly. Its nose blends pure white fruits with vanilla foam, hazelnuts, and hawthorn flowers. Initially fresh and clean, cellar aging adds richness with almonds, honey, lemon peel, and yeast. It’s sensational with seafood and pairs well with pâté or game birds.

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Moët & Chandon Collection Impériale Création N°1: The Ultimate Experience

Finally, the Moët & Chandon Collection Impériale Création N°1 (The Finest Bubble £194) blends seven remarkable vintages. When I tasted it last year against Dom Perignon 2012, I preferred this one. It shares Dom Perignon’s sumptuous texture and dazzling complexity. Layers of white and red berry, pear, melon, lemon, and green apple mingle with mineral, floral, and spicy notes. This wine shines with pink fish, lamb, or monkfish.

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A Toast to Health and Celebration

All this talk of health has inspired me to do some exercise. I might even visit the surgery to see if they’ll prescribe some champagne.

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