Champagne for New Year's Eve, as Recommended by a Sommelier

With New Year’s Eve right around the corner, it’s time to start talking about what matters most: champagne! Problem is, with so many selections of bubbly on the market today, it can be difficult to decide which bottle is best to pop at midnight.

Thankfully, famed sommelier Allegra Angelo, who has been working in the restaurant business since she was just 15 years old, has cultivated the perfect list of the best champagnes to drink while saying goodbye to 2020.

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Allegra’s selections are rooted in decades’ worth of knowledge and experience. To date, she has developed more than 20 unique wine and spirit programs across the country! Moreover, Allegra, who is now Vinya’s in-house sommelier, has worked wine harvests in Burgundy, Tuscany and Spain. She’s also received a number of major accolades and awards in the field, including the 2016 winner of TopSomm.

Scroll through the gallery below to see Allegra’s picks for the best champagnes for New Year’s Eve!

No. 3: Champagne by Pierre Cellier Brut Prestige NV (SRP $38+)

One of the best values on the market, this Champagne is made by winemaker Pierre Gonet (of the well-known Champagne brand, Philippe Gonet). It’s a Pinot Noir forward style with lush orchard fruits but the 30 percent of Chardonnay lifts the palate with brioche, preserved lemon and cold white stone.

No. 4: Champagne, Blanc des Blancs by Perrier-Jouët Brut NV (SRP $89+)

Perrier-Jouët does Chardonnay right; it’s the cornerstone grape of the brand. A fairly new release for PJ, I would choose this over their big competitor, Ruinart Blanc des Blancs. It awakens the senses with winter citrus and spring flowers and feels luxurious, yet incredibly soft on the palate.

No. 5: Vintage Champagne, La Grande Année by Bollinger 2012

When you have the budget, nothing beats Bollinger. Generous and decadent, yet supremely soft and elegant, Bollinger is the timeless and fashionable, black cocktail dress. Made exclusively in barrels and aged under cork (versus crown cap), this Pinot Noir forward Champagne is made in true select years (the last vintage was 2008). It’s the benchmark for creaminess, and always hangs out a little bit longer (than the others) on the palate.