Champagne Brut Tradition Yveline Prat
Tasting notes: A zesty, creamy Champagne made with roughly equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, with ripe apples, fruit pulp and honey nougat on the palate and floral and herbal notes rounding things off.
Best deal: French bistro Ô Batignolles carries this at $55/bottle or $10/glass. On Wednesday nights, ladies in groups of four get a bottle for free.
Drappier Carte D’Or Brut
Tasting notes: Made with an unusually high three-quarters Pinot Noir with a bit of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, using only delicate first-press juice. Expect ripe stone fruits like peaches and apricots to engulf your palate.
Best deal: The wine lovers’ favorite, Wine Connection Tapas Bar & Bistro sells this bottle at $60 a pop.
G.H. Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge
Tasting notes: 45% Pinot Noir grapes and roughly equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Mixing in reserved wine from previous years also gives it a mellow complexity. An aroma of peaches and apricots blends in with notes of lychee and pineapple, ending with yeast and caramel.
Best deal: The Pump Room sells two bottles $150. That’s only $75 per bottle.
Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut N.V.
Tasting notes: From the makers of the world’s first (allegedly) brut, this bubbly is 40% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier, with a scant 20% Chardonnay. Cherry plum, lemon and bergamot give way tovanilla and butter. There are even hints of honeysuckle and butter, reminiscent of French pastries.
Best deal: Although their deal isn’t by the bottle, The Black Swan has daily oyster happy hours between 5-7:30pm where two freshly-shucked oysters and a glass of this elixir go for $21. We did the math and drinking it by the glass is actually cheaper than the $150 bottle.
Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label
Tasting notes: Bubbly lovers must know this name being the most famed Champagne house on this list. This brut has 50% Pinot Noir grapes that give it a vibrant and acidic taste with hints of blackberry. There are also hints of biscuit, honey, lemon and cherry. It has unmistakable vanilla and cream notes enhanced by finely carbonated bubbles.
Best deal: PS. Cafe at Ann Siang Hill: binge on truffles every Thursday with a bottle at $88.
