Many of the great Champagne houses offer a Non-Vintage (NV) Champagne that serves as a hallmark of their “house style.” These NV Champagnes are typically crafted from a blend of several vintages, allowing producers to create a consistent, signature expression year after year.

Non-Vintage Champagnes are often on par in quality with their vintage counterparts and can represent exceptional value. By blending wines from multiple harvests, winemakers are able to smooth out variations caused by weather, grape quality, and yield differences from year to year. Reserve wines—held from prior vintages—are key to adding depth, complexity, and balance to the final blend.

French regulations require that NV Champagne be aged for a minimum of 15 months in bottle, including at least 12 months on the lees. However, many producers go well beyond this standard, to elevate each bottle into something truly remarkable.

Now is the perfect time to explore the outstanding selection of NV Champagnes available at Benchmark, including offerings from Charles Heidsieck, Gosset, Jacques Selosse, and my favorite—Taittinger. Champagne is always a great addition to holiday meals and gatherings.