Binny's Tasting Panel: Holiday Champagne Showdown

For the second year in a row, we gathered a group of fizz fanatics, jazz juice junkies, Champagne chauvinists, bubble buffs, dosage devotees, and mavens of the mousse, known collectively as Binny’s Wine Professionals, to blind taste some of our favorite Champagnes of the year.

Each panelist nominated a handful of personal recommendations; the sparklers they love to sell and love to drink themselves. Bottles were slipped into black “bottle stockings” hiding their identity. We then sniffed, tasted, assessed, discussed and argued our way to a list of favorites. Here is our all killer, no filler run down of the winners. And we put them all on sale, just for you.

Laherte Frères Ultradition Brut

Leherte has become red hot with Champagne lovers over the past 20 years even though their history as a top grower in the Côteaux Sud d’Epernay dates to 1889. The panel loved the Ultradition Brut for its fine, creamy mousse and silky, crowd-pleasing style. The nose is full of buttery pastry, dried flowers, orchard and citrus fruit. Two independent mentions of lemon chiffon and one of banana cream pie on the palate drive home the confectionary nature of this gorgeous wine. The impression of decadent pastry is counterbalanced by notions of crisp pear, golden apple, apricot and exotic spices. Zippy, lemony acidity and a hint of quinine frame the lingering finish. A very nuanced yet totally accessible sparkler and an excellent value to boot.

-Binny’s Tasting Panel

Pehu-Simonet Champagne Brut Grand Cru Face Nord

The dominance of pinot noir in the blend comes through in a broad, creamy texture, and while showing some autolytic, nutty notes, this fine grower Champagne is also a bit saline and very fresh. There is a fine, persistent perlage. Tempting aromas of warm bread, freshly baked white cake, citrus and fine herbs rise from the glass with every bursting bubble. The palate is full of fruit ranging from tart cherries and white raspberries to peach and dried apple. It finishes super fresh, saline and minerally. Panelist Don S. quipped- “I need oysters, stat!”  Everyone agreed. Alas, no oysters appeared.

-Binny’s Tasting Panel

André Clouet Chalky Blanc de Blancs

Andre Clouet is a Binny’s favorite. Between styles, bottle formats and vintages we have over twenty different Clouet options available across our stores. This 100% chardonnay offering garnered quite a lot of praise from the panel. The nose is open and expressive showing plenty of orange blossom, apricot, apple, lemon and spiced pear. The fruit medley is also present on the palate along with lemon curd, blanched almond, buttery brioche and ginger. The finish turns focused and minerally, displaying, yes, plenty of chalk and saline, making for a precise, long, lingering and elegant finish. Mouthwatering.

-Binny’s Tasting Panel

Vilmart Cuveé Grand Cellier Brut

This bold, vibrant, yet graceful Champagne immediately had the panel in its sway. Delicate jasmine rides atop notes of baked apple, pear, plum, strawberry, orange zest, gunflint and a full rack of baking spices including prominent nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and candied ginger. Compelling and complex on the palate, this shows some muscle with bright, racy acidity driving a deeply sapid core of tangy cranberry, raspberry yogurt, blood orange and candied strawberry fruit. There is spectacular tension between rich notions of creme fraiche and lemon curd, and the salinity of salted almonds and live-wire acidity. The finish is long and flinty. Nate C. called it- “Generous but controlled, balanced and nuanced.” Topnotch juice!

-Binny’s Tasting Panel

Louis Roederer Rosé 2016

Several rosés were in the running, but Roederer 2016 took the crown. A beautiful pale salmon color shimmers as micro-bubbles stream endlessly to the surface. The nose is bright and focused, delivering biscuity richness, ripe cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, orange zest, vanilla and rose petal. Fruity, fresh, elegant and refined in the mouth where a lively mousse carries flavors of freeze-dried strawberries, raspberries, cranberries and a slice of flakey-crusted cherry pie with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. The chalky, textured finish seems to go on for days. Superb pink champagne.

-Binny’s Tasting Panel

Henriot Brut Millésime 2012

This fantastic 2012 impressed right out of the gate with scents of toasty autolysis, vanilla-y Portuguese custard tart, marzipan, apple, pear, candied lemon and lime peel and ginger. A subtle but pleasingly funky whiff of cheese and smoldering ash add considerable interest. The body is full, decadently creamy and invigorated with copious fizz. Concentrated flavors of honeyed peach, pear, quince and crunchy apples lead to a long minerally finish accented by notes of citrus studded panettone, nutmeg and ginger. Excellent depth. 56% chardonnay and 44% pinot noir from top Grand and Premier Cru vineyards.

-Binny’s Tasting Panel

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

This classic blanc de blancs really united the panel. Phrases like crowd-pleaser, well-crafted and textbook were universally agreed upon during the discussion phase of the blind tasting. Indeed, this is so easy to love for its crisp and elegantly floral nose, creamy mousse, impeccable balance and silky, seamless texture. The palate is clean, fresh and full of ripe nectarine, pear, buttered apples, apricot Danish and lemon zest. Very refined. After this was revealed to be Ruinart, one panelist commented- “Consistently excellent blanc de blancs; always on point.” Nods of agreement rippled through the rest of the panel.

-Binny’s Tasting Panel

Contributing Panelists:

  • Alicia B., Wine Educator & Tasting Panel Chair
  • Tony B., Wine Manager, Highland Park
  • Nate C., Wine Manager, Orland Park
  • Ben M., Wine Manager, Lincoln Park
  • David R., Wine Manager, Willowbrook
  • Chris S., Factotum
  • Don S., Wine Manager, South Loop
  • Juan T., Wine Sales Specialist, South Loop