Local sommelier Ray Sholes created his luxury wine lifestyle brand, Royal Vines, to share his decades of wine knowledge in an inclusive way through entertaining tri-county experiences. He’s sharing his favorites so you can be the talk of the town when you pour the right Champagne this season.
Impressive Value
Piper-Heidsieck
This is the Champagne that’s been showing up to the party since 1785, and everyone is always happy when it arrives. This is the party pleaser; think of it as a playlist that takes everyone back and makes them want to dance, regardless of skill.
Pierre Péters
This is a grower-producer, which means the same family that grows the grapes makes the wine, and it shows. Made with Grand Cru grapes (the very best sites), it evokes refreshing green apple and lemon meringue pie, with a finish that hangs on to you like a lifeline. When I want to impress someone who knows Champagne, this is what I’m reaching for.
Indulgent Picks
Billecart-Salmon
This family has been making Champagne for more than 200 years, and it’s still among the most renowned. The style feels elegant at first sip. Maybe it’s what love tastes like: silky, fine bubbles, stone fruit, and fresh-baked brioche.
Ruinart
The oldest Champagne house in the world, and still a classic. Think bright citrus, white peach, a kiss of floral, and a creaminess that makes you want to slow down and actually taste your Champagne instead of just sipping it for the ‘gram. The iconic frosted bottle alone is a whole moment, but the juice inside is what keeps people coming back.
Luxury Pours
Krug
Krug is not just Champagne; it’s also a statement! The art of blending is what Krug is known for. The storied house creates more than 200 wines and uses up to 50 percent reserve wine to blend the perfect Champagne. This is mastery on a level that has yet to be challenged. Toasted brioche, gingerbread, apple, peach, and apricot blend for a richness that coats the palate like a heated blanket wrapped around you on a cold winter night.
Rare by Piper-Heidsieck
It’s made only in exceptional vintages, and the name says it all—Rare is exactly that. You’re getting candied citrus, fresh croissant, honeysuckle, and a complexity that slowly reveals itself the longer you sit with it, like an unexpected conversation you find yourself in, not realizing that hours have passed. If Krug gives main-character energy, Rare is who all the critics and media are quietly obsessed with.
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