June is the month for celebrations such as weddings, graduations. Champagne and top-quality sparkling wines are an important part of marking these major life events. This month, Wine Gazette focuses on three classic French champagnes and one top-quality California sparkling wine made by a great French champagne house, Taittinger.

• Dampierre Cuvée des Ambassadeurs Brut N.V.
• Taittinger La Française Brut N.V.
• Piper-Heidsieck Extra Dry N.V.
• Domaine Carneros Brut 2001 by Taitinger

The Count Audoin, a frequent visitor to the U.S., is head of one of the few remaining family owned Champagne houses. Taken from Premier- and Grand Cru-rated vineyards, the wines show depth and vinosity enlivened by a racy freshness and a long savory finish. There are four champagnes in the portfolio: a Brut Rose ‘Oeil de Pedrix (Eye of the Partridge) all from Premier Cru rated vineyards; the only non-vintaged Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru on the market (100% chardonnay from three Grand Cru villages: Avize, Cramant, and Mesnil-sur-Oger); the Tête de Cuvée the Family Reserve Brut 1996 and 1998, a vintaged Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs also from Avize, Cramant, and Mesnil-sur-Oger. And there is the Cuvée des Ambassadeurs Brut N.V.

The last wine is served in French embassies around the world as well as the Elysée Palace, home to the French President. The Ambassadeurs is a traditional blend of chardonnay (50%) from the grand cru villages of Avize, Cramant, and Mesnil-sur-Oger and Pinot Noir (50%) from Bouzy, Ambonnay, and Cumières.

Taittinger La Française Brut N.V.
Premium

Taittinger’s style aims for floral freshness and elegance in a medium-bodied wine. Fresh apple and white flower scents lead to a racy palate with a mineral and spicy finish. About 40% chardonnay is used in the blend, almost half again as much as is usual in Champagne blends. Another key quality factor is that only the first pressing, known as ‘la cuvée,’ is used for La Française. This first pressing is what insures that only the most delicate and finest juice is used for the wine, which is why it is mandatory for the best vintage and luxury cuvée Champagnes.

Piper-Heidsieck Extra Dry N.V.
Premium

One of the famous names in Champagne, Piper-Heidsieck experienced a renaissance in quality under the direction of wine maker Daniel Thibault (one of Champagne’s most illustrious and respected wine makers), who was also responsible for catapulting Charles-Heidseick into the top rank of quality. Now the man in charge of wine making and blending at Piper is Regis Camus. The Extra Dry is a perfect champagne for sipping with lighter hors d’oeuvres. The wine is a softer, more supple champagne than the Brut, but with real depth from Pinot Noir and vibrant freshness from Chardonnay.

Domaine Carneros Brut 2001
Premium

Founded in the 1980s by Taittinger Champagne, Domaine Carneros was one of the first California sparkling wine producers to use fruit from Carneros, and remains today the only winery to use exclusively Carneros fruit in its sparkling wines. In Carneros (that cool, foggy, wind-swept southern end of Sonoma and Napa Valleys) seven clones of Pinot Noir and six clones of Chardonnay are grown in three separate vineyards, with multiple rootstock and scion matching over 35 different blocks. The 2001 Vintage Brut is blended from 65% pinot noir, 32% chardonnay and 3% pinot blanc, then aged for three years on the lees before disgorging. This lengthy time in bottle insures small bubbles, and a more distinctive and subtle aroma and flavor.