There is nothing ordinary about champagnes—including their prices. But the non-vintage variety may well be some of the best-value wines on the market
Within the wonderful world of champagnes, there are the beautifully presented and expensive prestige cuvees that make great gifts. There are also the vintage champagnes with collector appeal that have to be cellared for at least a decade before they are ready to be savoured. So it may well surprise you that the best value wines of any kind are so-called ‘ordinary’ champagnes.
I am referring to the non-vintage or NV champagne. Without any vintage and produced yearly, it offers the drinker immediate and immense pleasure. The quality of the wine is rarely called into question. This is because each year, only the healthiest and best grapes are selected, and harvested at the optimum ripeness for the style. Should the quality fall short, the champagne house will blend out any inconsistencies, often by drawing from a stock of high quality reserve wines. Such is the nature of champagne—a consistent, quality wine compared to other wines that are subject to vintage variations. A point worth noting is that some non-vintage champagnes could even be grand crus. For instance, a NV Krug is a truly exceptional wine that you might overlook simply because it is not a vintage; but there are collectors of this wine, hence its lofty price.
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