Best Wines from Champagne

Champagne is one of the most important wine regions in France — the chalky vineyards of northeast France that produce the world's benchmark sparkling wine using a centuries-old method of secondary fermentation in bottle. This guide is for anyone who wants to understand why these wines taste the way they do, what makes them age-worthy, and which bottles are worth buying first. Every wine listed at Prism Fine Wine is available with US shipping.

What makes Champagne special

the chalky vineyards of northeast France that produce the world's benchmark sparkling wine using a centuries-old method of secondary fermentation in bottle. The combination of climate, soil and centuries of winemaking craft gives Champagne a distinctive identity that no other region can quite replicate. Producers here have spent generations refining how their land speaks through wine.

Signature grapes of Champagne

The dominant grapes are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Each one expresses the terroir of Champagne differently — some take on weight and depth, others stay light and aromatic — and the best producers know how to coax the most expressive version of each from their vineyards.

What to drink and what to eat

Champagne wines pair beautifully with oysters, fried chicken, sushi, popcorn and any celebratory occasion. The traditional pairings developed alongside the wines themselves and remain the truest test of a bottle's worth at table.

Where to start

If you are new to Champagne, start with a non-vintage Brut from a respected house and an affordable Grower Champagne. These are the gateway wines — affordable enough to explore freely, classic enough to give you a real sense of the region's character.