Our editors independently select the products we recommend. We may earn a commission on items bought through our links.
If you ask anyone how to celebrate anything, we guarantee popping open a bottle of bubbly is near the top of their list. While this year wasn’t nearly as messy as years prior (although it had its downfalls), we’re happy to say it’s time to make that thang go pop with the best champagne to celebrate the beginning of 2023.
Champagne has become synonymous with good times. Whether you’re saying cheers to a marriage, saluting a promotion or simply celebrating any number of other important events, hearing the cork pop is ultra-satisfying.
Ready for a fun fact? Champagne is a protected name and therefore every bottle labeled as “champagne” adheres to a series of rules, including the fact that it’s produced in the Champagne region of France. In this way, you know what you’re getting when you buy a bottle of champagne, but the protected nature of this type of bubbly also means it can be quite expensive.
Whether you like brut, rose or blanc de blancs, we’ve put together 14 bottles to pop open as we celebrate the end of 2022.
Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne
With its combination of flavor and budget-friendly price, it’s little wonder that the Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne is the most popular option on our list. It’s ideal for all occasions, from weddings to birthdays or even just a particularly exciting Friday night. With that being said, it’s a hell of a bottle to pop open this New Year’s Eve as the ball drops.
You’re sure to love the combination of lemon and lime flavors which come via an ever-present smoothness. You’ll also find notes of honey and apple in addition to a clean aftertaste which is sure to keep you coming back for more. So, we suggest you get yourself a few bottles just in case.
Beau Joie Brut Nature NV
Beautiful bottle? Check. Smooth taste? Check. Deliciously bubbly consistency? Check. You can’t go wrong with Beau Joie Brut Nature NV when ringing in the new year. This champagne is made from 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay for a delicious, well-balanced taste that has a clean freshness to it. This is an amazing champagne for toasting, especially paired when sweeter hors d’oeuvres.
The Juliette Une Femme Champagne
Looking for something a little more unique? Try The Juliette from Une Femme. This champagne is handcrafted by a husband and wife team out of Champagne, France. Everything grape is organic and hand-picked, using specifically chardonnay and pinot noir grapes from premier cru and grand cru vineyards. Each sip is exquisitely tasty and quite honestly, pretty rare. There are only 1,800 bottles in existence, so getting your hands on one now might be the only time you ever can.
Louis Perdrier Brut
If you’re looking to spend as little money as possible but still want to celebrate with a genuine bottle of bubbly, look no further than this delicious Louis Perdrier Brut. It’s great for pairing with everything from veal and pork to fish and poultry. In addition, it boasts a range of fresh flavors, including green apple and mango, as well as aromatic floral elements. Pop this bad boy the second the clock hits midnight this year and kiss 2022 a big, fat goodbye.
Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne
Founded in 1772, Veuve Clicquot is repping quite the history when it comes to the champagne game. Although some of you may have never heard of it, this stuff has that deliciously bubbly taste and consistency you crave in your NYE champagne flute. It has a dominant pinot noir taste which gives a boisterous amount of strength and volume you won’t be able to stop sipping. Don’t believe us? Give it a try for yourself.
Cook’s California Champagne Brut
Contrary to popular belief and the perception of champagne as a luxurious beverage, you actually don’t have to hand over an arm and a leg to enjoy a bottle. This champagne is produced at the Mission Bell in Madera, California. This was the first American champagne brand that’s been around creating high-quality, affordable champagne since 1859. This is a Prosecco-style champagne with tons of fruit and sweetness on the head, with flavors of apple and pear with floral notes mixed in. It’s a great brand for any occasion and especially good if you need many bottles at once, as it’s quite an affordable option.
Charles De Fère Blanc de Blancs
Inside this Charles De Fère Blanc de Blancs Réserve Brut, you’ll find a mix of Chardonnay, Ugni Blanc and Chenin Blanc grapes. The fresh, crisp flavor delivers a refreshing burst ideal for use as an apéritif or for pairing with lightly fried appetizers, popcorn and other dry snacks — so we totally suggest you pop this one at the beginning of the night and leave something else for the ball-drop. In the drink, you’ll notice apricot, green apple and biscuit flavors, while the light-medium body is sure to please.
Gruet Brut Rose
Not all champagne is golden. This Gruet Brut Rose is pink in color, adding a dimension of enjoyment for your eyes as well as your tastebuds. Plus, it boasts hints of berry in a crisp, dry flavor, which is kind of a surprising alternative to the overwhelming sweetness most rose champagnes have to offer. Do note that only 5,000 cases of this champagne are produced each year, so it’s best to order yours ASAP.
Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut
Of course you aren’t going to be drinking champagne every day of the week. But, if you were going to choose one from the list to fit that bill, the Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut would work nicely. Gold in color and filled with an abundance of bubbles, this popular Brut offers a range of aromas made of floral and fruity flavors. Whether it’s apple, pear, almond or hazelnut, this well-balanced champagne is sure to make you happy any day of the week.
G.H. Mumm Grand Cordon Champagne
With its classy appearance, the G.H. Mumm Grand Cordon Champagne is a great choice if you’re giving a bottle as a gift. The bottle features a laser-cut sash. The drink itself delivers a mix of citrus flavors in a crisp and tart liquid which pairs well with salads, greens, fruits and other fresh foods. It was also created in collaboration with Ross Lovegrove and includes a long slender neck to further develop this champagne’s appealing aromas. We love this bottle for mimosas in the morning.
Drappier Carte D’Or Brut
The Drappier Brut offers a complex taste that will keep you coming back for more. The drink features a flavor heavy on aromatic richness including those brought by apple, cherry and more. You’ll also find hints of spiciness accompanied by a white peach to ensure your taste buds enjoy an experience you’ll want more of.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne
If you love a hint of fruit in your champagne, the Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne fits the bill. In a glass of this bubbly, you’ll enjoy pear, grapefruit and citrus flavors, each beautifully balanced to give an experience you’ll want again and again. This is a great choice for anyone sitting down to shellfish, salads or greens, and it includes more than 100 crus from around the Champagne region.
Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne
For those searching for a bubble-filled champagne experience, try a bottle of this Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne. The fresh and lively taste includes hints of both floral and fruity flavors, giving the champagne a wide reach and an appeal for all tastes. It’s also great for pairing with a range of foods, including shellfish, cheese, fish and pork and comes in a bottle finished with golden labels to give it a classy appearance.
Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva
If you can’t toast your glass of bubbly without a little added OJ, check out Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva. This champagne is an affordable cava/brut combo that pairs excellently with your go-to added fruit juice. Orange, apple, pineapple, cranberry, mango — if you can’t do the taste of champ solo, mimosa it up with Campo Viejo.
Usual Wines Brut
When toasting to a brand-new year, you need a glass, not a bottle. But, in this case, you really do need the bottle. Ditch the champagne flutes for Usual Wine’s Brut, a brut champagne that comes in tiny, beaker-like bottles that eradicate the need for glassware. These bottles come in a box of 12 so everyone at your small holiday party gets one for themselves. Taste-wise, we’re talking hints of bergamot, lemon and elderflower for a robust bottle of bubbles you’re going to want more and more of. Plus, these unique bottle shapes are a ton more exciting than whatever your local liquor store has. Let’s head into 2023 with a little added fun, shall we?
Korbel Brut California Champagne
Okay okay, we know what we said in the intro about all champagne needing to be from France but this label is solid and produced locally on the Northern coast of California. Sonoma Valley, a wine country in very close proximity to the Napa Valley makes this fantastic brew that’s perfect for toasting, sipping and celebrating with. It has a refined palate with a medium-bold body and dry finish that’ll leave you refreshed but not in a sugar haze. It leads with cinnamon and citrus flavors followed by lime, orange, vanilla and just a bit of strawberry at the end. Sounds delicious, huh?
