Long a favorite of our discerning clientèle among house Brut Champagnes, Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut is characterized by its freshness and exuberance, its vibrancy and expressiveness. Shimmering light golden color with lots and lots of tiny bubbles racing to the top; ultra-fresh aromas suggest brioche, lemon crème, baked apple, Anjou pear, white peaches and spice and more; an absolute joy on the tongue with vibrant flavors dancing fluidly, then bursting forth and just every bit quenching that serious Champagne thirst.

The famous flower bottle was designed by Emile Gallé at the turn of the 20th century in the thick of the Belle Époque. It was rediscovered by director Pierre Ernst and cellarmaster André Bavaret in the mid-1960s and subsequently chosen as the vessel of choice for this brilliant tête-de-cuvée that is the finest of the production of Champagne Perrier-Jouët and among the world’s best known and best loved prestiges cuvées. Perrier-Jouët Fleur de Champagne is an harmonious mingling of among the most prestigious crus in Champagne, notably Cramant and Avize for Chardonnay, Mailly, Verzenay, Verzy and Bouzy for Pinot noir, and Aÿ and Dizy for Pinot noir and Pinot meunier. It is distinguished by a high proportion (about 50%) of Chardonnay from the best slopes in the Côte des Blancs, lending characteristic delicacy and refinement, together with 45% Pinot noir and 5% Pinot meunier. Brilliant light golden color with delicate aromas suggesting sweet cream butter and wildflower honey on toasted baguette, with notions of white flowers and bee pollen; ultra-refined on the tongue with a finely frothy mousse and delicately toasty citrusy flavors that fan out into a broad and sumptuous whole, finishing clean and long with refined and refreshing intensity of flavor. Regularly $125.00 the bottle, on sale now at:

From the makers of the famed Cristal, Brut Premier is the embodiment of Louis Roederer style, their House Brut. Produced from 56% Pinot noir, 34% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot meunier, Brut Premier is a blend of multiple vintage wines enhanced by the addition of about 10% oak-aged wines from Roederer’s extensive reserve cellars. Light gold in color with vivacious bubbles; aromas suggestive of fruit transformed, say toast or, perhaps, lightly buttered biscuits, honey and citrus, with nuance of almond and hawthorne; smooth and stylish; full creamy mouthfeel with discreet fruit and subtle toast flavors that linger long on the finish. Louis Roederer Brut Premier is a house fave here at The Austin Wine Merchant.

On the 1st of September, 1729 and shortly following a royal decree allowing Champagne wines to be transported in bottles, the House of Ruinart was officially established, making it the very first of Champagne houses to come into existence. The house of Ruinart are today renowned as specialists with Chardonnay and Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes. Luminous light golden in color; both fresh and complex aromas suggest wine-scented crayères, ripe citrus fruits and just baking brioche dough and a little something indescribable more; ample, round and harmonious palate feel; just fills the mouth with joyous and generous bubbles. Ruinart have compared Chardonnay to an uncut diamond, lending sparkle to their wines. Indeed, this season's Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is showing brilliantly. Regularly $55.00 the bottle, on sale now at:

The widow Clicquot is oft recounted offering the maxim "Only one quality, the finest!" Well, this is, for us, the recommended step up in quality from Veuve Clicquot’s own giddily popular "Yellow Label." The 1999 Brut Réserve is composed of a bit over half Pinot noir, about a third Chardonnay and the remainder Pinot meunier. According to Clicquot, the Pinot noir provides strength and structure, while the Chardonnay plays its role keeping things fresh and clean to the finish. We would back that up. Brilliant yellow gold in color; come-hither aromas of lightly toasted brioche, marzipan, even dulce de leche, with fresh sweet herbal notes like réglisse or cerfeuil; medium-full in body; fine and poised on the tongue, both refreshing and satisfying in flavor. Mais oui, Madame Clicquot! Regularly $62.50 the bottle, on sale now at:

Krug Grande Cuveé is the signature wine of the great Champagne house of Krug and, to be sure, a considerable demonstration of the skill, the intuitive craftsmanship requisite in the making of the finest Champagne. Typically, Krug Grande Cuvée is composed of from as many as 50 wines from 20 to 25 crus and from six to ten different vintages, a work carried on by (among others in the Krug inner sanctum) the family Krug itself, the end result of which is a shimmering sparkling wine, seemingly effortlessly balancing richness and freshness, power and finesse. And this season’s Grande Cuvée is not short of superb. Brilliant golden color; vivid aromas that would suggest (thank God for the genus Saccharomyces!) something wonderful baking in the oven, perhaps a pie crust, spiced apple, citrus peel, wildflower honey, words elude us; the wine just struts out onto the tongue with presence and power, yet perfectly balanced and proportioned, bursting with complex flavor and, as it has so well been put, "finishing in a final flourish of freshness leaving one longing for more." If there were one name in Champagne that gets the tongues of our discerning Champagne-loving clientèle (and ours, as well) most atwitter, well, it’s Krug.

Pale silver-gold color. Intense, assertive aromas of minerals and smoky ripe pear are reminiscent of serious Chablis. Concentrated and almost sweet, with powerful flavors of oyster shell, lemon rind, blood orange and sweet butter. This has thickness and weight, which carry through the long, intensely flavored finish. As dense and broad as this is, there’s brightness and nerve, too. Rated 92. ‑ Josh Raynolds, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar November/December 2005

Heidsieck & Co. Monopole, established in 1785 by Florens-Louis Heidsieck in Epernay, is one of Champagne’s oldest and most respected houses and one of the original Grandes Marques of Champagne. Today, Hiedsieck is owned by the Vranken Company, also located in Epernay and which also owns Pommery and Demoiselle. Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Brut Blue Top has long for us been one of the most dependably delicious, true blue, down-the-middle bubblies. Bright platinum gold in color with lots of medium fine bubbles and fresh aromas that suggest lightly toasted baguette and citrus together with a chalky limestone underpinning; harmonious and balanced on the tongue with plenty of frothy sparkle and gentle persistence of delicious flavor. Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Brut Blue Top is well worth its pop and more than well worth its price.

An oft recommended sparkling wine here at The Austin Wine Merchant, Mumm de Cramant is an ultra-fine, delicately sparkling Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes from the 100% rated vineyards of Cramant in the Côte des Blancs, Champagne, France. Once known tongue-twistingly as Mumm Crémant de Cramant, Mumm de Cramant remains crémant (literally, it means "creaming") in style with about two-thirds the atmospheres pressure of normal sparkling wine. Complex aromatics hint at toast and citrus, fine wildflower honey, vanilla and powdered cocoa. On the palate the wine is rich and creamy and light and airy all at once, with presence and power in reserve; slips down light and easy, refreshingly, leaving refined and complex flavors to linger delicately on the palate. Tongue twisting? Yes, and tongue tantalizing, too! Crémant de Cramant? Mumm de Cramant? Yes, and Mmmm de Mumm! Boxed elegantly in creamy white for easy gifting.