The Best Champagnes to Gift for Every Occasion

Have you ever stood in front of a wall of Champagne, wondering which bottle to bring to a party or give to a friend? With so many excellent Champagne houses with different cuvées, picking the right bottle can be challenging. This article features my favorite bottles for giving, no matter the occasion or price point. There are well-reviewed and delicious inexpensive bottles for baby showers and casual brunches, as well as age-worthy Champagnes from the best houses. Many of these Champagnes have long aging potentials, so if you buy a few bottles and store them properly, you’ll always have a great gift on hand. 

La Patiala Tip:

If you’re bringing a bottle of Champagne to a party and you think the host will want to open it, be sure the bottle is chilled. Don’t chill if you want them to save it for a special occasion. That way, they won’t feel any pressure to open it immediately. 

The Best Champagnes to Gift for Every Occasion

The Best All-Occasion Champagne

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Champagne is my favorite to give for most events, including birthdays, housewarming parties, promotions, graduations, and general celebrations. It’s more elevated than most non-vintage Champagnes, and it’s widely available. Ruinart Blanc de Blancs costs under $100 so it’s an affordable yet elegant option. I love that it comes in a proprietary “Second Skin” packaging that protects the bottle in transit. It is eco-friendly and isn’t a bulky box. Just add a bow and a handwritten card, and you have the perfect gift. 

The Best Champagnes for Special Moments

When you really want to impress the recipient, break out Krug Grande Cuvée or Dom Pérignon. Krug is one of the richest, most opulent Champagnes, and it has a stunning bottle. It feels special and is perfect for a promotion, an anniversary, or a big birthday. Krug is more under the radar than a big brand like Dom Pérignon, so it can feel more unique. 

Of course, Dom Pérignon is one of the most well-known Champagnes that exist. It has a certain cachet that just makes it feel special. A bottle of vintage Dom Pérignon is a great choice as a gift for any special occasion. 

Both producers make brut and rosé Champagnes. The rosé Champagnes are more elusive — they are produced in more limited quantities, so they’re a great choice to surprise the wine connoisseur in your life. 

The Best Sparkling Wine and Champagne for Casual Celebrations 

If there’s a chance someone might pour orange juice in their bubbles, please don’t bring fancy Champagne. Making a mimosa using Dom Pérignon should be a crime. A bridal shower or brunch would be the perfect occasion for an inexpensive but high-quality sparkling wine from California, like Chandon Brut. It has received many 90+ scores from wine reviewers and costs $20. If you want proper Champagne that won’t break the bank, Nicolas Feuillatte is a solid choice for $40, far less than many people’s go-to: Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut. Either way, you’ll have a great bottle of bubbly for the celebration.

The Best Champagne for the Fabulous Woman in Your Life

La Grande Dame from Veuve Clicquot is perfect for special milestones in a woman’s life. La Grande Dame means “the great lady” in French, which is how Madame Clicquot was known. She was a fierce businesswoman who revolutionized the Champagne industry, so it’s a favorite present of mine for the women in my life who are celebrating professional achievements or launching new ventures. La Grande Dame is a Pinot Noir-focused Champagne with delicious notes of red fruit.

The Best Champagne for Important Birthdays

If someone is celebrating a milestone birthday, a very thoughtful gift would be a bottle of vintage Champagne from the year they were born. With a little bit of effort, you can track down a bottle on the secondhand market or at fine wine stores. Your loved one will be very impressed with a birth-year bottle of Champagne. Keep in mind that the older the milestone, the more difficult — and expensive — a birth-year bottle can be. Try buying the Champagne in advance and give it to them later. Some parents buy their children’s birth-year bottles as soon as they are released. 

Skip the Gift Set

Many brands sell beautiful gift sets with glasses, but they aren’t my favorite presents. Most people already have plenty of glassware, and you don’t want to add clutter to their homes. In addition, many box sets include flutes, which I do not recommend for Champagne. (Discover the best glass for Champagne here.) Unless you know they collect a certain brand’s glass or have mentioned needing more glasses, stick with just the bottle. However, if you know they only have flutes and want to add some proper Champagne glasses to their collection, I highly recommend including non-branded tulip-shaped glasses in your gift along with the bottle of Champagne. 

Share This Article