H. Lanvin & Fils Champagne Brut NV

H. Lanvin & Fils Champagne Brut combines ripe fruit, creamy texture, and classic Champagne complexity without drifting into overly weighty territory. Its blend of Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay delivers white fruit, peach, citrus, warm brioche, vanilla, and subtle honeyed notes, carried by fine bubbles and a lively finish. Made by a family-owned house in Épernay, it is polished enough for celebrations but approachable enough to open simply because dinner deserves bubbles. Serve well chilled with oysters, smoked salmon, fried chicken, or salty snacks before the main event.

What the winery says:

The blend is made from 40% Pinot Meunier, 40% Pinot Noir, and 20% Chardonnay, sourced from 47 crus across Champagne, including Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards. The base wines are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve the character of each site, followed by at least 18 months of bottle ageing. The house describes a pale gold Champagne with fine, persistent bubbles, aromas of white fruit, vanilla, plum, brioche, and honey, and a fresh, soft palate finishing with lively citrus.

What the experts say:

Cuisine Tasting Panel, Cuisine, 4½ Stars & Top 10 (NV)
“Pale in the glass with a restrained nose of nectarine, lemon peel, oatmeal and toast that comes through onto the palate which, while quiet, is well structured and constructed with a fine, linear focus and mouth-watering acidity.”

Cuisine Tasting Panel, Cuisine, 5 Stars & Best Buy (NV)
“Medium coloured in the glass with lovely creamy, nutty aromas mixed with apple and orange blossom on the nose. The palate is understated and delicate but with everything in its proper place. Beautiful autolytic characters run the length of this lively, linear and lengthy example.”