Wedding Champagne

When it comes to elevating a wedding, nothing says “celebration” quite like a glass of Champagne. But before you start popping bottles, it’s important to understand what Champagne really is. Champagne isn’t just any sparkling wine, it’s a protected wine region in France, and every bottle labelled “Champagne” must follow strict rules covering everything from where the grapes are grown to how the wine is made, bottled, and aged. These regulations ensure consistency, quality, and the iconic flavour profile Champagne is known for: elegance, fine bubbles, and complex layers of citrus, brioche, and minerality. Here, we will talk about how to choose your wedding Champagne!

What Does the Champagne Label Tell You?

When choosing Champagne for your wedding, the label holds key clues about what you're getting. One of the first things to look for is the sweetness level, which influences how dry or sweet the wine will taste. The most common style is Brut, which simply indicates a regulated sweetness category but nothing else. It feels dry and crisp, the classic choice for a traditional toast or reception pour.

For summer weddings or cocktail-style celebrations, you may consider sweeter and more playful styles like Demi-Sec and Doux. These Champagnes have a touch of sweetness and work beautifully when served over ice. For example, Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial (Demi-Sec) and Veuve Clicquot Rich (Doux) are both vinified specifically for this purpose. They offer a fun, modern twist that’s perfect for outdoor receptions or daytime celebrations.

Don't fall for the word "Cuvée"

In Champagne, the word "cuvée" carry a couple of important meanings depending on context. Technically, the cuvée is the first pressing of grapes extracting the finest juice and it is prized for its purity and delicacy. A cuvée also refers to the final blend or batch created by the winemaker, combining different grape varieties, vineyard parcels, or vintages to achieve a desired house style. Many Champagne houses use the term to name their flagship bottlings. For example, a prestige cuvée is typically the top-tier, most refined expression of a house, crafted in limited quantities and only in exceptional years.

Apart from that, it doesn't have a stylistic or technical meaning and it doesn't tell you much about the style of your Champagne. 

Vintage vs. Non-Vintage: What’s the Difference?

Another detail to look for is whether the Champagne is Non-Vintage (NV) or Vintage. Most Champagnes on the market are Non-Vintage, meaning they’re a blend of wines from multiple years. NV Champagnes are crafted for consistency — they reflect the house style and are made to be approachable, refreshing, and ideal for casual sipping.

Vintage Champagne, on the other hand, is made from grapes harvested in a single exceptional year (you’ll see the year marked on the label — for example, 2015 or 2016). These wines are aged longer and often have more depth, richness, and complexity. That makes them perfect for pairing with food, think roasted poultry, seafood, or even creamy dishes, and a thoughtful touch if you’re looking to elevate your wedding menu. This is what you'd like too have if you're pairing Champagne with certain dishes.

How Winemaking Choices Shape Champagne Style

The style of Champagne is influenced by several winemaking decisions including but not limited to:

• Reserve wines: Many Non-Vintage Champagnes include a percentage of older “reserve wines” from previous years. These help maintain consistency and add complexity and depth.
• Oak vs. stainless steel: Some producers ferment or age part of their wine in oak barrels, adding richness, texture, and vanilla notes. Others use stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness and crisp fruit character. 

  To showcase how winemaking choices affect Champagne style, think back to the Veuve Clicquot you may have tried earlier — made in stainless steel tanks to preserve its fresh, delicate citrus and floral aromas, resulting in a crisp and vibrant profile that's perfect for lively celebrations. Now contrast that with your last glass of Bollinger, a house that has proudly aged their base wines in oak barrels since 1829. This traditional method imparts extra texture, spice, and depth, creating a more structured and gastronomic Champagne.

• Ageing on lees and bottle ageing: The time Champagne spends ageing on the lees (dead yeast cells from the second fermentation completed in the bottle to capture the bubbles) before disgorgement greatly impacts its flavour. Longer ageing results in creamier texture and more pronounced toasty, brioche, and nutty notes. Most Non-Vintage Champagnes age for a minimum of 15 months, but many houses extend this time for greater complexity.

Let’s Talk About the Champagne Houses

Understanding the styles is only part of the journey, now it’s time to explore the Champagne houses, or maisons, that produce these iconic wines. Each house has its own signature approach, flavour profile, and story — and choosing the right one can add a meaningful touch to your celebration.

If you’re after recognisable elegance and consistency, you can’t go wrong with some of the most well-known names in Champagne. Moët & Chandon is one of the world’s most popular houses, offering fresh, fruit-driven styles with broad appeal. Their Impérial Brut is a classic crowd-pleaser, while Ice Impérial adds a modern twist for summer weddings.

For something with a bit more richness and structure, Veuve Clicquot is famous for its bold, fuller-bodied style — especially in its Brut Yellow Label, which balances power and finesse beautifully. Their Rich and Rich Rosé (Doux style) are also popular for cocktail-style service over ice with fresh garnishes.

Looking for something a little more refined or food-focused? Bollinger offers Champagnes with more depth, weight and complexity, ideal for pairing with canapés or wedding dinners. Bollinger’s toasty, Pinot Noir–driven profile makes it a standout for traditional palates, while Louis Roederer’s Collection offers more finesse.

Taittinger is recognised for elegance and finesse, often showing delicate floral aromas and crisp acidity, perfect for sophisticated palates. Charles Heidsieck is renowned for rich, creamy Champagnes with intense fruit and brioche notes. Piper-Heidsieck offers a vibrant and fresh style with bright red fruit and lively bubbles, great for festive occasions.

Delamotte, sister house to Salon, crafts elegant, mineral-driven Champagnes that are refined and approachable. Duval-Leroy produces aromatic, balanced Champagnes with good finesse, perfect for celebrations. Billecart-Salmon is highly regarded for delicate, floral, and refined Champagnes, their rosé enjoys quite a popularity. Finally, Deutz is known for precision, elegance, and freshness, making wines that pair beautifully with a variety of foods.

Understanding Grower Champagne

While the big Champagne houses (known as maisons) often blend grapes sourced from various vineyards, Grower Champagnes are crafted by producers who grow their own grapes and make wine exclusively from their own vineyards. These smaller-scale producers often bring a unique sense of terroir, style, and personality to their bottles, offering wines that can be more expressive, artisanal, and distinctive. Grower Champagnes are an excellent choice if you want your wedding wine to have a truly personal and authentic touch, showcasing the character of a specific vineyard or village.