The Best Dry Champagne

Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Réserve

Although the name suggests one man is behind this house, in actuality Feuillatte is a union of over 5,000 individual family growers. Its immense scale is one reason this delicious, chalky cuvée can maintain such a modest price. Buy: $40 at wine.com.

02 of 10

Delamotte Brut

The key thing to know about Delamotte is that it's the sister house to the wildly expensive, super-limited Champagne Salon. But while it shares similarities — Chardonnay from grand cru vineyards makes up the core of its wines, which are impeccable — it's far more affordable. Buy: $55 at wine.com.

03 of 10

Taittinger Brute La Français

Great Champagne producers tend to have a house style, a sort of signature or character present through all their wines. Brut La Française is a spot-on example: If you like its delicate flavors and citrus notes, you'll probably like everything that Taittinger makes. Buy: $55 at totalwine.com.

04 of 10

Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve

This formerly sleepy house re-created (and enriched) its basic nonvintage blend several years ago, partly by upping the age of the reserve wine (most NV Champagnes are a blend of the current year with older ones). It's a standout in a full-bodied, creamy style. Buy: $70 at wine.com.

05 of 10

Philipponnat Royale Réserve Brut

The single-vineyard Clos des Goisses from Philipponnat is the kind of rare wine that collectors lust for. But the house's minerally, seashell-scented Royale Réserve is impressively complex and subtle, too; it's also a lot easier to track down. Buy: $70 at wine.com.

06 of 10

Duval-Leroy Premier Cru Brut

This smaller house shines not just for its quality, but also for the fact that both its owner and winemaker are women — unique within the region of Champagne. Duval's basic cuvée, earthy and pear-scented, is impossible to resist. Buy: $73 at grapesandhopsdeli.com.

07 of 10

Ruinart Blanc De Blancs Brut

Ruinart concentrates on Chardonnay — hence this flagship bottling, gorgeously balanced and made with 100% Chardonnay (as all Blanc de Blancs Champagnes are; those made with 100% Pinot are called Blanc de Noirs). Buy: $88 at totalwine.com.

08 of 10

Bollinger Special Cuvée

Full-bodied, luscious, and almost chewy, Bollinger's intro-level bottling could be the definition of a house style that's rich rather than delicate. Partly, this is due to a high percentage of Pinot Noir in the blend; partly, it's because a portion of the wine is initially barrel-fermented, which adds texture. Buy: $80 at wine.com.

09 of 10

Krug Grande Cuvée Brut

Krug's legendary Grande Cuvée isn't exactly a nonvintage brut like the rest of these wines. Instead, it's a blend of over 100 different wines aged for as long as 10 years, extraordinarily complex and lasting. If you need a splurge gift for the season, this one is it. Buy: $240 at freshdirect.com.

10 of 10

Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve "Red"

Billecart donates $5 from every sale of this special-label edition of its floral Brut Réserve to RED, an international charity that helps fight the spread of AIDS throughout Africa. Buy: $45 at klwines.com.

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