The 14 Best Non-Vintage Champagnes in 2024

By Dirk Smits

The Top Non-Vintage Champagnes for Any Celebrations

Also called multi-vintage Champagne, non-vintage Champagne, “NV”, is a crucial part of the production of each Champagne house as it expresses the signature style of wine they produce and is the standard upon which the rest of their range is based.

The non-vintage blend consists largely of grapes from the most recent vintage, along with a portion of “reserve wines” that have been aged from previous years. This is why it’s called a “non-vintage,” because not all the grapes are from the same year.

The most important aspect of this blend is that it must remain consistent from year to year so that no matter when or where you open a bottle, it will always taste the same.

> The champagnes are presented in alphabetical order.

1. Champagne Alfred Gratien

Origin: Épernay, France
Varietal: 56% Chardonnay, 24% Pinot Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir
Price: $55.00
ABV: 12.5%

Alfred Gratien Champagnes are handcrafted for guaranteed quality and consistency. A few miles away from Épernay’s bustling town center, deep in the heart of the Champagne vineyards, are the Alfred Gratien Champagne cellars. It was there, on Rue Maurice Cerveaux, that Alfred Gratien set up his business and created his first cuvées in 1864. For over a century and a half, Alfred Gratien Champagnes have remained a family affair perpetuated by the expertise and know-how of their founder.

This lively bubbly with a straw yellow color is enlightened by a complex nose filled with white flowers, buttery pastry, stone fruit and fresh grated lemon zest. The creamy taste unfolds layers of white fruit, citrus and mineral, all evolving into a long and complex finish.

> For more information, visit Champagne Alfred Gratien official website.

2. Champagne Charles Heidsieck, Brut Réserve

Origin: Reims, France
Varietals: 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Meunier
Price: $58.00
ABV: 12%

The Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve is a masterpiece of blending of up to 60 different cru wines and a great value considering that 40% of its blend is composed of reserve wines averaging about 10 years of age. The wine was matured on the lees for over three years.

The wine offers a complex, voluptuous nose with notes of green apple, white flowers, pear, candied orange peel and almonds. It is deliciously balanced, showing rich white fruits and nutty flavors. The reserve wines give this wine lushness and provide harmony.

> For more information, visit the Charles Heidsieck official website.

> Check out GAYOT’s profile of Champagne Charles Heidsieck House.

3. Champagne Chartogne-Taillet, Cuvée Sainte-Anne

Origin: Merfy, France
Varietal: 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier
Price: $58.00
ABV: 12.5%

The vineyards of Merfy, seven kilometers north of Reims, lie on the southern slopes of the Massif de Saint-Thierry in the Montagne de Reims. These slopes were planted shortly after the arrival of the Romans and monks of the neighboring Abbey of Saint-Thierry expanded the vineyards in the 7th century. By the 9th century, the vines surrounding the abbey represented the single largest concentration of vines in Champagne and the wines from Merfy earned a great reputation and found their way to the Royal table. Today, Champagne Chartogne-Taillet remains the only RM (Récoltant Manipulant) producer in the village and under Alexandre Chartogne’s guidance, the wines of Chartogne-Taillet are some of the most sought-after Champagnes being produced.

This is a light-yellow colored Champagne with creamy bubbles, unfolding aromas of lemon zest, crushed chalk and floral notes. The palate delivers pear, orange peel, fresh pastry and ginger. It is exquisitely elegant and precise in its finish.

> For more information, visit Champagne Chartogne-Taillet official website.

4. Champagne Drappier, Carte d’Or

Origin: Urville, France
Varietals: 80% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Meunier
Price: $52.00
ABV: 12%

The Carte d’Or cuvée is the very expression of the Drappier style. With its very high proportion of Pinot Noir, one is almost tasting a Blanc de Noirs. The wine consists of 40% reserve wines and is finished with 6.5 grams of sugar per liter (dosage).

It opens up with aromas of stone fruits, apple, toasted bread and white flowers. A complex palate shows creamy flavors, good minerality and spices underlined by a soft effervescence and terminating in a clean and focused finish.

For more information, visit the Champagne Drappier official website.

> Check out GAYOT’s profile of Champagne Drappier House.

5. Champagne Gonet-Médeville, Brut Tradition, Premier Cru

Origin: Vallée de la Marne, France
Varietal: 70% Chardonnay, 27% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Meunier
Price: $47.00
ABV: 12.5%

This estate was born of the marriage of two well-known wine families: Xavier Gonet (from le Mesnil-sur-Oger) and Julie Médeville (from Preignac in Sauternes – most notably Château Gilette). The vines, remarkably well-kept (low yields and sustainably-farmed), are located on superb 1er Cru slopes in Bisseuil (this part of the Marne Valley is known for its Pinot Noir), and the two Grands Crus of Ambonnay (great Pinot Noir) and le Mesnil-sur-Oger (the heart of la Côte des Blancs – top-notch Chardonnay). The dosage here is reduced to a minimum, malolactic fermentation is blocked (for vigor and age-worthiness) – all to accentuate purity of expression.

The wine has a light straw color with a persistent effervescence. The mouth feel is rich and elegant, showing aromas of lemon peel, stone fruit, pear and spice. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with zesty acidity, mineral and flower blossom.

> For more information, visit Champagne Gonet-Médeville Instagram account.

6. Champagne Gaston Chiquet, Tradition, Premier Cru

Origin: Dizy, France
Varietal: 40% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir
Price: $52.00
ABV: 12.5%

The wine displays a golden, yellow hue and a fine effervescence. The fresh nose shows a hint of citrus, lemon confit, baked apple tart and star anise. The Pinot Meunier assures a smooth palate, fresh and balanced with flavors of fresh apricot, white peach and citrus.

For more information, visit the Champagne Gaston Chiquet official website.

> Check out GAYOT’s profile of Champagne Gaston Chiquet House.

7. Champagne Jean Lallement, Grand Cru

Origin: Verzenay, France
Varietals: 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay
Price: $60.00
ABV: 12%

With all the Pinot Noir coming from Verzenay, this wine is expressive and powerful, revealing aromas of peach, cherry, toast and spices.

On the palate, spices, candied orange peel, cherry plum and cream interact with the lively acidity due to the light dosage measured at 6 grams of sugar per liter.

For more information, visit the Champagne Lallement official website.

> Check out GAYOT’s profile of Champagne Jean Lallement House.

8. Champagne Laurent-Perrier, La Cuvée

Origin: Tours-sur-Marne, France
Varietals: 55% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier
Price: $59.00
ABV: 12%

The wine is made with juice obtained from the first pressing only, resulting in a wine of great finesse and freshness. La Cuvée ages in the cellar for a minimum of four years and is given a low dosage of 9 grams of sugar per liter.

The wine is pale gold in color and fine bubbles feed a persistent mousse. The nose shows delicate aromas of fresh citrus, melon and white flowers. Fruity flavors are very present on the palate and the wine expresses a perfect balance between freshness and delicacy.

> For more information, visit the Champagne Laurent-Perrier official website.

> Check out GAYOT’s profile of Champagne Laurent-Perrier House.

9. Champagne Louis Roederer, Collection 243

Origin: Reims, France
Varietal: 42% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 18% Pinot Meunier
Price: $64.00
ABV: 12%

Collection 243, the Champagne house’s 243rd blend since its foundation, is based on the 2018 vintage (59%), complemented by 31% perpetual reserve wines (solera system 2012-2017) and 10% cask-aged reserve wines sourced from young Cristal vines.

The 243 has a light golden color with fine, lively bubbles showing off in the glass. The bouquet is rich and elegant, revealing flowers, dried lemon peel, green apple, almond and a touch of mineral. The palate is generous but refined, unfolding yellow stone fruit, bright acidity and a saline finish.

> For more information, visit the Champagne Louis Roederer official website.

10. Champagne Nicolas Maillart, Platine, Premier Cru

Origin: Écueil, France
Varietals: 63% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay, 14% Pinot Meunier
Price: $45.00
ABV: 12.5%

The current release of this wine is based on the 2015 vintage complemented with 55% of reserve wines aged in barrel. It was disgorged in November of 2019 and finished with a dosage of 6 grams per liter.

The wine offers an expressive nose of apple, lemon zest, chalky minerality, white flowers and a touch of toast. In the mouth it delivers creamy finesse with snappy acidity and a lengthy, complex finish.

> For more information, visit the Champagne Nicolas Maillart official website.

> Check out GAYOT’s profile of Champagne Nicolas Maillart House.

11. Champagne Piper-Heidsieck, Cuvée Brut

Origin: Reims, France
Varietals: 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier, 15% Chardonnay
Price: $47.00
ABV: 12%

Piper-Heidsieck carefully selects fruit from more than 100 of Champagne’s crus to blend this wine. The wine contains 10 to 20% reserve wines, depending on the vintage, and has a dosage of 10 grams of sugar per liter.

The wine has a white-golden color and a crisp, clean bouquet of orchard fruits, almond, a delicate hint of citrus and good minerality. On the palate, it carries flavors of white peaches, ginger and toasted bread, all beautifully balanced showing fruit expression and fleshiness.

For more information, visit the Champagne Piper-Heidsieck official website.

> Check out GAYOT’s profile of Champagne Piper-Heidsieck House.

12. Champagne Pol-Roger, Réserve Brut

Origin: Reims, France
Varietals: 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Meunier
Price: $61.00
ABV: 12%


Champagne Pol Roger Brut Réserve displays a beautiful golden straw hue, as well as abundant and fine bubbles. With a powerful and bright nose, it delivers aromas of pear, honeysuckle, white blossom, vanilla and brioche.

The wine shows nice balance and freshness; flavors of quince jelly, apricot jam, honey, orange peel and spicy notes all mingle together and evolve in a long, balanced finish.

> For more information, visit the Champagne Pol Roger official website.

13. Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française

Origin: Reims, France
Varietals: 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier
Price: $70.00
ABV: 12.5%

The high proportion of the Chardonnay grape gives elegance and freshness to the wine. The presses are located in the vineyard for immediate pressing of the fruit after the harvest. The resulting must is cold fermented under temperature-controlled conditions. After resting until the end of winter, the wine is blended. The final cuvée undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle in Taittinger’s cool cellars on the lees for almost four years, more than double the legal minimum of 15 months. The extra time in the cellars allows the wine to reach the peak of aromatic maturity.

This Champagne has a subtle, pale gold color with fine bubbles. On the nose: aromas of peach, white flowers, vanilla pod and brioche. On the palate: flavors of fresh fruit and honey.

> For more information, visit Champagne Taittinger official website.

14. Champagne Vilmart & Cie, Grand Cellier, Premier Cru

Origin: Rilly-la-Montagne, France
Varietals: 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir
Price: $81.00
ABV: 12.5%

The Vilmart & Cie, Grand Cellier bottling I tasted was disgorged in September 2018 and has a dosage of 8 grams of sugar per liter. It has a pale lemon shade with golden and green highlights and a very fine effervescence.

The nose shows white spring blossom, citrus, cream, notes of ginger and lemongrass. It carries flavors of almond, minerality and grapefruit and is finely balanced between the juicy acidity and the frank vinosity resulting in a clean, harmonious and long finish.

> For more information, visit the Champagne Vilmart & Cie official website.

> Check out GAYOT’s profile of Champagne Vilmart & Cie House.