Make it a white Christmas with five of the best blanc de blancs champagnes
- The distinctive style of champagne, made from 100 per cent chardonnay, is the tipple of choice for the festive season
Most champagnes are a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes but blanc de blancs (“white of whites”) is 100 per cent chardonnay.
The best sites for this style of champagne are in the Côte des Blancs and Côte de Sézanne, subregions of Champagne, where chardonnay grows best. Here, the soil is “white” – the ancient terroir, which was once under the sea, consists of millions of fossils that give the chalk-based soil its hue, as well as minerality and saltiness. The villages in these subregions that have grand cru status are Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger and Oiry, and blanc de blanc champagne from any of them rarely disappoints.
1 Ruinart champagneis the benchmark by which other blanc de blancs are measured. It is aromatic yet light and fresh. Founded in 1729, Ruinart is one of the oldest champagne houses and its wine is made from only premier cru grapes from the Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne and Montagne de Reims. Intense, with lively citrus fruits, white peach blossoms and lush pear. HK$650
Available from Watson’s and City’super
2 Delamotte’s blanc de blancs (non-vintage and vintage) is a bargain compared with that of its much more expensive sister house, Salon. A Delamotte champagne never disappoints, with its well-balanced, slightly spicy, citrus flavours that pair well with the subtle brininess of sashimi and sushi. The grapes that go into this wine are from around Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Non-vintage, HK$550; vintage 2008, HK$750
