Interest in Champagne never wanes. This is a wine region with arguably the strongest brand in the world. It produces what is likely the most technical and precise style of winemaking on Earth. For analytical minds, Champagne sits at the intersection of geology, climate, chemistry, and history.
At the United Cellars Champagne Masterclass 2026, we explored a vast spectrum of prestige sparkling wine. We examined different house styles, contrasting the crisp stainless-steel focus of Salon with the rich, barrel-fermented style of Krug. We also looked at how sub-regions, soil types, and winemaking choices shape what lands in the glass.
Browse our Non-Vintage Champagne Collection
There are a number of key elements that underpin Champagne’s quality. Nearly 75% of the region rests on a bedrock of pure chalk and limestone. The Côte des Blancs features shallow topsoils (only 30 cm in parts of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger) over chalk, yielding incisive Chardonnay. The Montagne de Reims blends sand, clay, and marl over deep limestone to drive structural Pinot Noir, while the Vallée de la Marne relies on river-influenced soils suited to the late-flowering Pinot Meunier.
Within these regions, there are key villages with superior terroir that underpin the region’s top wines. Pinot Noir shines in Aÿ, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzenay, and Mailly, while Chardonnay reaches its apex in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize, Cramant, and Chouilly.
Personal taste naturally dictates what we gravitate towards, but the lineup curated for this event represents some of the most compelling winemaking anywhere in the world.
Nowhere in fine winemaking is the contrast between oak fermentation and protective stainless-steel handling as dramatic as it is in Champagne. It represents the foundational divide in how a house chooses to build texture, complexity, and longevity.
Browse our Vintage Champagne Collection
Houses such as Krug, Pierre Paillard, and Louis Roederer (which use around 30 % oak ferments for Cristal) utilise oak barrels during primary fermentation to encourage micro-oxygenation. Small-format oak barrels (or larger 350L oak casks) allow controlled micro-exposure to oxygen during ferment which integrates oak-derived phenolics early, softens sharp acidity, and seamlessly weaves yeast autolysis with subtle spices, toasted nuttiness, and baked brioche character. The resulting wines are richer, broader, and more textural on the palate with a deeper gold hue showing savoury complexity earlier in their life while possessing an incredible capacity for long-term aging.
In contrast, houses such as Salon, Pol Roger, and Taittinger rely on inert stainless-steel vats, often combined with low ferment temperatures (frequently below 18°C). Stainless steel completely seals the fermenting must off from atmospheric oxygen. By protecting the primary fruit aromatics and maintaining cool temperatures, winemakers preserve volatile components while holding natural malic acidity in sharp focus.The result is ultra-crisp, pristine, and precise wines. The fruit focus is laser-sharp, dominated by fresh citrus, green apple, white flowers, and chalky minerality.
Here were the highlights:
Blanc de Blancs: Purity and Precision
House of Arras Blanc de Blancs 2015 (Tasmania, Australia)
Starting outside France highlights how climate impacts style. Ed Carr built Arras on hand-picked sites across cool Tasmanian microclimates. Fermented in stainless steel and aged on lees for seven years, this inaugural vintage Blanc de Blancs shows pure fruit framed by creamy, savory notes.
Taittinger 'Comtes de Champagne' Blanc de Blancs 2014
Taittinger owns 45% of its vineyards, giving them significant control over fruit quality for this classic Côte des Blancs cuvée. Sourced mainly from Avize and Le Mesnil, it spent ten years on lees. The 2014 season was cool and wet, but Chardonnay performed exceptionally well, yielding a bright and balanced wine.
Salon Cuvée ‘S’ Blanc de Blancs 2015
Salon is a unique house: just ten employees and roughly 40 vintages produced since 1905, sourced from 15 hectares in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Aged nine years on lees without oak contact, the 2015 vintage balances freshness and warmth with remarkable focus and length.
Pinot Noir Expressions & Prestige Cuvées
Pierre Paillard Bouzy Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs 'Les Maillerettes' 2020
Bouzy is famous as a warm, south-facing Grand Cru site for Pinot Noir. Paillard fermented this 100% Pinot Noir cuvée in 350-liter oak barrels, aging it four years on lees. An early harvest locked in fresh acidity to balance Bouzy’s natural weight and structure.
Pol Roger Brut Cuvée Winston Churchill 2018
Aged 33 meters underground in Epernay’s cold cellars (9–11°C), Pol Roger uses cool ferments and zero oak to maintain freshness. A Grand Cru blend of roughly 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, the 2018 vintage is rich, structured, and approachable.
Louis Roederer Cristal 2016
Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon sourced this release from 32 biodynamic Grand Cru plots (58% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay). Lecaillon used 31% oak fermentation with no malolactic ferment. Despite severe spring frost and harvest rains, careful farming produced a focused wine with great depth and balance.
Rosé & Extended Lees Ageing
Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé 2013
Billecart is known for precise, protective rosé winemaking. Made from 53% Pinot Noir (including 5% still red wine) and 47% Chardonnay, it saw 5% barrel ferment and nearly ten years on lees. The result is pure, subtle, and balanced.
Dom Pérignon P2 2006
Dom Pérignon's Plénitude 2 releases make up just 1–2% of production. Blended from 20 villages, this wine underwent cool stainless-steel fermentation before spending 15 years on lees. Disgorged in 2021 with 4.5 g/L residual sugar, it offers deep notes of toasted brioche and dried fruit.
Krug Vintage 2006
Krug ferments all base wines in small, aged oak barrels. Unusually for a prestige house, Krug includes 20% Pinot Meunier alongside 45% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. Aged 12 years on lees, the 2006 release delivers Krug’s signature spice and richness while holding a firm core of natural acidity.
