World Champagne Day: Diversity and Excellence

Since 2009, the 4th Friday of October has been marked as World Champagne Day. At Sotheby’s Wine, we are always eager to celebrate with Champagne, but in honor of this particular occasion, we have selected an assortment representing the diversity and excellence of the region’s wines.

Speaking to a Burgundy collector who had yet to delve into Champagne, a mentor of mine once argued that great Champagne is overlooked by those who see it only as “bubbly.” The pearlage is important, but great Champagne is not just about fizz. Underneath each cuvée, there is Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier, each expressing their terroir and winemaker’s prowess – no less than any great Burgundy would.

How else could one account for the miles between Pierre Péters' bracingly mineral and pure Les Chetillons, offered here across three vintages, and the sumptuously textured Krug Grande Cuvée 171eme ed., itself a blend across twelve distinct vintages?

In the Montagne de Reims, Emmanuel Brochet’s Le Mont Benoit attests to Champagne’s ability to translate a single historic plot. Planted in 1962, the vineyard’s reputation for intense and surprisingly delicate wines is on full display thanks to Brochet’s low-intervention winemaking.

Among the most unique and iconic producers in Champagne, Anselme Selosse and his protégée Jérôme Prévost capture Champagne at its broadest. These wines are expansive and profoundly complex, balancing fresh citrus peel and sea spray with a long nutty finish.

So, whether you are a seasoned collector or just beginning to explore Champagne, join us this week to celebrate one of the world’s great wines.