We bring you all the medallists from this year’s Champagne Masters, which drew attention to the quality of fizz from some lesser-known names in the region, and the excellence of one famous producer in particular.
THIS YEAR’S Champagne Masters yielded a set of exciting discoveries, following a sampling of almost 200 bottles in London in August.
Among these revelations were the quality of benchmark Brut NV brands, the wonders of the 2012 vintage, as well as the excellence increasingly being found among the rosés. Lesser-known names of note that performed particularly well this year included Palmer, Pannier, Joseph Perrier and Frerejean Frères.
I if I were to pick out a star producer of the competition, it would be Piper-Heidsieck, which was the source of outstanding offerings in all categories, from Brut to Blanc de Blancs, rosé to vintage, and, if one includes Rare too, a brilliant prestige cuvée.
Over the following pages are the results in full, information about the competition, and click here to see my highlights from the day’s tasting.
Meanwhile, for a full report on this competition and the health of the Champagne category in 2021, please click here to download this year’s Champagne Report by the drinks business.
Non-Vintage
| Winery | Wine Name | Dosage | Medal | |||
| £20-£30 | ||||||
| Charles de Cazanove | Tradition Brut | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne H.Blin | Jules Feraud Brut | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Montaudon | Montaudon Brut | Brut | Silver | |||
| Château de Bligny | Brut Grande Réserve | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Vincent d’Astrée | Brut Premier Cru | Brut | Bronze | |||
| G.H. Martel & Cie | Brut Prestige | Brut | Bronze | |||
| G.H. Martel & Cie | Premier Cru Prestige | Brut | Bronze | |||
| £30-£50 | ||||||
| Champagne Pannier | Exact Extra Brut | Exact Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Deutz | Brut Classic | Brut | Gold | |||
| Moët & Chandon | Brut Impérial NV | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Laurent-Perrier | La Cuvée | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Besserat de Bellefon depuis 1843 | Bleu Brut | Brut | Gold | |||
| Piper-Heidsieck | Essentiel | Extra Brut | Silver | |||
| Château de Bligny | Cuvée Eclipse | Extra Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Joseph Perrier | Cuvée Royale Brut Nature | Brut Nature | Silver | |||
| Champagne Vollereaux | Cuvée Brut Nature | Brut Nature | Silver | |||
| Champagne Castelnau | Brut Reserve | Brut | Silver | |||
| Vranken-Pommery Monopole | Pommery Brut Royal | Brut | Silver | |||
| Vranken-Pommery Monopole | Pommery Apanage Brut | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Lanson | Le Black Label Brut | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Veuve Clicquot | Brut NV Yellow Label | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Taittinger | Brut Réserve NV | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Boizel | Brut Réserve | Brut | Silver | |||
| Piper-Heidsieck | Cuvée Brut | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Palmer & Co | Brut Réserve | Brut | Silver | |||
| Maison Mumm | Mumm Grand Cordon | Brut | Silver | |||
| Piper-Heidsieck | Sublime | Demi-Sec | Silver | |||
| Champagne Vollereaux | Brut Réserve | Brut | Bronze | |||
| Champagne Vollereaux | Celebration Ice | Doux | Bronze | |||
| £50+ | ||||||
| Champagne Frerejean Frères | Solaire NV Grand Cru | Extra Brut | Master | |||
| Piper-Heidsieck | Essentiel Blanc de Blancs | Extra Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Devaux | Cuvée D, Aged 7 Years | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Devaux | Ultra D, Aged 5 years | Extra Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Lanson | Le Green Label | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Gosset | Grande Réserve | Brut | Silver | |||
| Château de Bligny | Clos du Château – 6 Cépages | Brut Nature | Bronze | |||
Vintage
| Winery | Wine Name | Dosage | Medal | |||
| £20-£30 | ||||||
| G.H. Martel & Cie | Brut Millésimé 2012 | Brut | Bronze | |||
| £30-£50 | ||||||
| Maison Mumm | Millésime 2013 | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Vincent d’Astrée | Cuvée Équinoxe 2005 | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Lanson | Le Vintage 2009 | Brut | Bronze | |||
| £50+ | ||||||
| Maison Mumm | RSRV Lalou 2006 | Brut | Master | |||
| Piper-Heidsieck | Vintage 2014 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Piper-Heidsieck | Vintage 2012 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Palmer & Co | Vintage 2012 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Besserat de Bellefon depuis 1843 | Millésime 2008 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Boizel | Grand Vintage 2012 | Extra Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Deutz | Brut Millésimé 2014 | Brut | Silver | |||
| Vranken-Pommery Monopole | Grand Cru Vintage 2008 | Brut | Silver | |||
Prestige Cuvée
| Winery | Wine Name | Dosage | Medal | |||
| £50+ | ||||||
| Rare Champagne | Rare Millésime 2008 | Brut | Master | |||
| Maison Mumm | RSRV Lalou 2006 | Brut | Master | |||
| Champagne Boizel | Joyau de France 2008 | Extra Brut | Gold | |||
| G.H. Martel & Cie | Victoire Cuvée Gold 2012 – Ltd Edition | Brut | Gold | |||
| Charles de Cazanove | Cuvée Stradivarius Gold 2009 – Ltd Edition | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Deutz | Amour de Deutz 2011 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Frerejean Frères | VV26 NV Grand Cru | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Laurent-Perrier | Grand Siècle | Brut | Gold | |||
| Maison Perrier-Jouët | Belle Epoque 2012 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Deutz | William Deutz 2008 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Maison Perrier-Jouët | Belle Epoque 2008 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Maison Perrier-Jouët | Belle Epoque 2004 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Pannier | Egérie 2012 de Pannier | Extra Brut | Silver | |||
| Maison Perrier-Jouët | Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 2013 | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Lanson | Le Clos Lanson 2007 | Brut | Silver | |||
| Maison Mumm | RSRV 4.5 | Brut | Silver | |||
| Vranken-Pommery Monopole | Pommery Cuvée Louise | Brut | Silver | |||
Blanc de Blancs
| Winery | Wine Name | Dosage | Medal | |||
| £30-£50 | ||||||
| Albert Lebrun | Collection Terroir – Grand Cru | Brut | Gold | |||
| Château de Bligny | Blanc de Blancs | Brut | Silver | |||
| Charles de Cazanove | Tradition Blanc de Blancs | Brut | Silver | |||
| £50+ | ||||||
| Champagne Palmer & Co | Blanc de Blancs | Brut | Gold | |||
| Maison Perrier-Jouët | Blanc de Blancs NV | Brut | Gold | |||
| Maison Mumm | RSRV Blanc de Blancs 2014 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Lanson | Le Blanc de Blancs | Brut | Gold | |||
| Vranken-Pommery Monopole | Pommery Apanage Blanc de Blancs | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Besserat de Bellefon depuis 1843 | Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Castelnau | Blanc de Blancs 2007 | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Gosset | Grand Blanc de Blancs | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Deutz | Blanc de Blancs 2016 | Brut | Silver | |||
| Maison Perrier-Jouët | Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2006 | Brut | Bronze | |||
Blanc de Noirs
| Winery | Wine Name | Dosage | Medal | |||
| £20-£30 | ||||||
| Albert Lebrun | Collection Terroir – Blanc de Noirs | Extra Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Charles Orban | Blanc de Noirs | Brut | Silver | |||
| Charles de Cazanove | Happy Holidays – Blanc de Noirs – Season Edition | Brut | Bronze | |||
| £30-£50 | ||||||
| Charles de Cazanove | Cuvée Bio | Brut | Silver | |||
| £50+ | ||||||
| Champagne Joseph Perrier | La Côte à Bras Brut Nature 2012 | Brut Nature | Gold | |||
| Maison Mumm | RSRV Blanc de Noirs 2012 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Lanson | Le Black Reserve | Brut | Gold | |||
| Vranken-Pommery Monopole | Pommery Apanage Blanc de Noirs | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Palmer & Co | Blanc de Noirs | Brut | Silver | |||
| Maison Mumm | RSRV Blanc de Noirs 2009 | Brut | Silver | |||
Rosé
| Winery | Wine Name | Dosage | Medal | |||
| £20-£30 | ||||||
| Champagne H.Blin | Jules Féraud Rosé | Brut | Silver | |||
| G.H. Martel & Cie | Rosé Prestige | Brut | Bronze | |||
| £30-£50 | ||||||
| Piper-Heidsieck | Rosé Sauvage | Brut | Gold | |||
| Vranken-Pommery Monopole | Pommery Brut Rosé | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Lanson | Le Rosé | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Boizel | Rosé | Brut | Silver | |||
| Maison Mumm | Grand Cordon Rosé | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Palmer & Co | Rosé Solera | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Joseph Perrier | Cuvée Royale Brut Rosé | Brut | Silver | |||
| Maison Mumm | Le Rosé | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Montaudon | Montaudon Grande Rosé | Brut | Bronze | |||
| £50 | ||||||
| Rare Champagne | Rare Rosé Millésime 2008 | Brut | Master | |||
| Maison Perrier-Jouët | Belle Epoque Rosé 2010 | Brut | Master | |||
| Champagne Laurent-Perrier | Cuvée Rosé | Brut | Gold | |||
| Maison Perrier-Jouët | Blason Rosé | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Besserat de Bellefon depuis 1843 | Besserat de Bellefon Rosé Brut | Brut | Gold | |||
| Maison Perrier-Jouët | Rosé 2012 | Brut | Gold | |||
| Champagne Devaux | D Rosé ‘Aged 5 years’ | Brut | Gold | |||
| Maison Mumm | RSRV Foujita | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Gosset | Grand Rosé | Brut | Silver | |||
| Champagne Deutz | Brut Rosé | Brut | Silver | |||
About The Champagne Masters
The Champagne Masters is a competition created and run by the drinks business, and is an extension of its successful Masters series for grape varieties, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as regions like Rioja and Tuscany. The competition is exclusively for Champagne, and the entries were judged using Schott Zwiesel Cru Classic glasses supplied by Sensible Wine Services. The top wines were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolade – the title of Champagne Master.
The Champagnes were judged on 5 August at London’s 28-50 Wine Workshop and Kitchen in Chelsea by Patrick Schmitt MW, Tim Tiptree MW, Matthew Stubbs MW, Patricia Stefanowicz MW, William Lowe MW and Matthieu Longuère MS.
Please visit The Global Masters website for more information, or, to enter future competitions – giving you the chance to feature online and in print – please call +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com
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