Drinks to celebrate the New Year in style

Image: Billecart-Salmon

Elegant to taste and exquisite to experience, Champagne is the quintessential tipple for celebrations. Redolent of special occasions and romantic nights, its existence comes courtesy of a chance decision made centuries ago to bottle wine before fermentation had finished. Since then, it has evolved into one of humanity’s most essential pleasures—in short, the perfect drink to celebrate a New Year’s like no other. 

Here at Maison Benjamin, we’re looking forward to celebrating with a selection from Billecart-Salmon, one of our preferred champagne houses. Founded in 1818 in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, a small village outside of Reims, Billecart-Salmon is still a family business run by its founders’ descendants, and these generations of accumulated knowledge have resulted in only the most exquisite selection of champagne. 

It helps, of course, that each generation has had an eye for perfecting the legacy of their forefathers, and has sought the right combination of tradition and innovation to allow the aromas of the champagne to flourish. The house maintains 100 hectares of their own vineyards, and work with a specially selected group of winemakers and crus in the region of Champagne to source grapes grown using natural, ancestral methods that offer richer, more complex flavors to start with. Taking an artisanal approach to Champagne-making, they then turn to techniques like elongated fermentation to truly capture the essence of the fruit. The result is Champagne that is truly sublime. Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite tipples from this esteemed house to try this New Year’s: 

Brut Rosé

Dry and elegant with a vibrant hue when poured, this romantic Champagne is favored by sommeliers for its delicate notes of berry and stone fruits. A blend of chardonnay, pinot meunier and pinot noir vinified as red wine.

Brut Sous Bois

Vinified in oak, this unique cuvée brings together three grape varieties for a bolder Champagne suited to enjoying umami-rich dishes.

Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru

A delicate, elegant chardonnay wielding the aromas of the five Grand Cru vineyards of the Côte des Blancs area.

Brut Réserve

An attractive, light champagne crafted from a blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier grapes from three different years. 

Brut Nature

Bright yet refined to the palate, this innovative Champagne combines three Champenois grape varieties: pinot meunier, pinot noir and chardonnay for a sugarless tipple that stays true to its essence.

Vintage 2008

This extra brut Champagne doesn’t shy away from allowing bold pinot noir flavors to shine through. Tempered with a chardonnay finish.  

Brut 2002 and 2006

Crafted from a blend of grapes selected from the Grands Crus of the Côte des Blancs vineyards (chardonnay) and the Montagne de Reims (pinot noir), this cuvée is fine, elegant and rich. 

Rosé 2007 Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon

Complex yet elegant, this highly sought-after cuvée is perhaps one of our favorite Champagnes at Maison Benjamin. Delightfully flavorsome and perfectly balanced, this champagne caresses the palate with notes of blood orange, tangerine, rose petal and strawberries. Crafted from the House’s top pinot noir and chardonnay terroirs that have been carefully cultivated from an exceptional harvest.