Arguably the most reliable non-vintage champagne of them all, made by one of the very last family-owned large houses with their own grapes...Of the well-known, so-called grandes marques of champagne (no longer an official title), Bollinger, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and Veuve Clicquot all carry a premium. But heavy Bollinger can be awkwardly angular when young, racy Pol Roger can also need a little bottle age to show its best and variable Veuve Clicquot can be downright disappointing in my view. But I have yet to experience a bottle of Louis Roederer Brut Premier that did not taste deliciously superior and ready to drink. Jancis Robinson

Each Cuvee of the Brut Collection is numbered progressively, indicatingon the label the number of blends made in the histroy of the Maison, founded in 1776. This year, Collection 246, the 246th blend of the House since its establishment, is based 55% of the 2021 vintage.

If the non-vintage market is champagne's great battleground, this is what victory tastes like. Roederer's NV offering, now numbered with each new release for greater transparency around base vintage and the reserve wine levers pulled to ensure consistency, has been the best performer for several years, and this shows you why. Freshness and precision are key here, with beautifully defined citrus and white stone fruit characters up front, a little lightly toasted brioche tucked in behind, and energetic acidity driving a surgically clean finish. Price: $100.00; Rating: 95 Points; Nick Ryan; The Weekend Australian