The 5 best champagnes to try for New Year's Eve

Great sparkling wine is produced all over the world, especially here in California. But it would not be an exaggeration to say that we are in the midst of a golden era for Champagne.

A movement that began several decades ago when droves of small winemakers stopped selling their precious yields to the big brands and started making the wine themselves has reached a peak, with more and more high-quality, site-specific and responsibly grown wines More wine is produced today than ever before. This departs somewhat from the traditional Champagne model, which blends grapes, vintages and vineyards to create a consistent “house” style that, while reliable, lacks the allure and artistry of this newer movement.

Importer Paul Wasserman says: “It’s a very energetic time for Champagne, which is exploring new talent. … The new generation is free to explore all types of winemaking, including adding little or no sulfur, using ambient yeast for fermentation, oxidative aging and more.”

Sommelier Courtney Kaplan has demonstrated an impressive commitment to and investment in this new wave of boutique Champagne at her Arts District bistro Camélia. “When we talk about champagne with guests in the restaurant, I feel like the conversation has changed. It was more about champagne than bubble wine and how it would pair with their food, just as we would with any other type of wine. “As opposed to the first toast before turning to a 'real' wine.”

Enthusiasts have begun frantically searching for the best of this new group, turning some of the rarer offerings into virtual unicorns. Importer Keven Clancy represents several such “cult” producers. “People don’t want what they can actually have. They would be shocked. The quantity we get is around 60 or 120 bottles. “We have a lot of good customers that we have to say no to because there are really only a few,” he says.

As tempting as it may be to mention these names here, we've chosen instead to highlight wines that, while limited in production, may be able to find on a store shelf or wine list near you.

Laherte Freres Ultradition Extra Brut

It's hard to find a better example of serious Champagne at a more affordable price than this blend of Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Although strong and mineral, the severity is softened by abundant peach and pear notes, lightened by a small “dosage” of sugar and the use of a few wooden barrels for fermentation. Aurélien Laherte took over the family estate in 2005 and his biodynamic and organic practices are a prime example of the progressive work of this new generation of practical winemakers.
At Domaine LA and Psychic Wines in LA, Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa and Stanley's Wet Goods in Culver City, about $56.

Champagne Marguet Yuman

This popular barrel-fermented Chardonnay is a richer and more seductive wine than Laherte, even though no sugar has been added. Bottled at lower pressure, these drinks resemble a great white Burgundy that is also sparkling. A sip of lightly toasted almonds, brioche and baked apples. Marguet takes a very natural approach, works biodynamically, treats the vineyards with herbal preparations, does not add sulfur and uses two draft horses for plowing.
Available at Melody and Silver Lake Wine in LA and Buvons Natural Wine Bar & Shop in Long Beach, about $90.

Champagne Tarlant Brut Zero

This is a wonderful counterpoint to the opulence of the Marguet above. Clancy describes Brut Zero as “electrifying, exciting and stimulating.” It bites and draws you in.” This almost Chablis-like laser beam is made from equal parts of the three major grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. As the name suggests, no “dosage” (sugar) is added. Depth is achieved through the use of barrels for fermentation, the addition of older base wines, and holding the wines longer before release. Tarlant was one of the first to abandon selling grapes to big-name houses in the early 20th century, becoming an independent producer and laying the foundation for the movement we see today.
At Wine House and Vinovore in LA, Domaine LA, Silver Lake Wine and Buvons, about $80.

Champagne Pierre Gerbais “La Loge”

Gerbais lies at the southernmost point of Champagne, known as Aube (or Côte des Bar), which has emerged as a hotbed for this new wave of winemaking. Many of the producers here look to the south, to Burgundy, for inspiration. For this bottling, Aurélien Gerbais used 80-year-old Pinot Blanc vines, a grape rarely found in Champagne that produces a different Blanc de Blancs than Chardonnay. Kaplan, who presents the wine at Camélia, describes it as “a balancing act with tangy acidity and crisp, salty minerality.” “A bit of brioche-like richness, but incredibly precise and concentrated.” For this unique bottling, Gerbais blends a “base” vintage with a “Solera” reserve wine from 2011.
At Helen's in Brentwood and Lou Wine Shop in LA about $110.

Famille Moussé Eugène Rosé Brut

This family has been growing wine since 1750. The “other” red grape variety from Champagne, Pinot Meunier, plays the main role, supplemented by a smaller proportion of Pinot Noir. Meunier maintains its acidity in warmer temperatures and is less susceptible to frost, which is becoming increasingly dangerous for winegrowers. The village of Cuisles has a high content of clay illite in the soil. Used in cosmetics, it gives Meunier a unique vibrancy and texture. The wine consists of a continuous “assemblage” (or blend) of wines dating back to the 2003 vintage. The addition of some still (not sparkling) Pinot Meunier gives the wine a deep color and a savory, vinous quality that shows off plenty of sour cherry and rose petals. Moussé is a very environmentally conscious producer, using solar panels, well water, geothermal energy, an electric tractor and animal integration. It even produces its own natural sulfur to avoid the use of petroleum-based sulfur.
Available at Wine House, Hi-Time Wine Cellars and Mission Liquor in South Pasadena, about $72.