The Six Best Sparkling Wines for Your Cellar | Wine Enthusiast
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The Six Best Sparkling Wines for Your Cellar

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Whether you’re a long-standing collector with a coffer hundreds of wines deep, or a selective shopper that only has a few prized bottles stashed away, no cellar is complete without sparkling wines.

The celebratory nature of a bottle of bubbles makes it hard to hold onto. Yet with your future self in mind, we urge you to set aside some bubbly—under proper storage conditions if possible—so that you can enjoy the wonders of a creamy, toasty, well-aged sparkling wine.

Out of more than 1,600 sparkling wines tasted over the past year, these six wines—a mix of classic expressions from Champagne, Northern Italy and California—were deemed the best cellar-worthy bottles. With these sparkling selections ready for the picking, now comes the hard part: waiting.

Philipponnat 2010 Clos des Goisses Extra Brut (Champagne); $386, 100 points. This famed Champagne comes from one of the steepest vineyards in the whole region, facing across the Marne river. With a blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, the densely textured wine shows great richness, a magnificent sense of place and structure. This is a very fine wine, a monument among Champagnes, one that will age for many more years. Drink through 2030. Banville Wine Merchants. Cellar Selection. —Roger Voss

Ca’ del Bosco 2010 Annamaria Clementi Dosage Zero Riserva (Franciacorta); $110, 97 points. Drop-dead gorgeous, this radiant sparkler opens with lovely aromas of white spring flower, pastry dough and white stone fruit. Smooth and silky, the radiant palate delivers Bartlett pear, golden apple, lemon zest and mineral that lead into a bone-dry finish. Small, continuous bubbles provide the silky background while vibrant acidity lends energy and remarkable freshness. It’s already fantastic but will continue to age beautifully for years. Drink through 2028. Santa Margherita USA. Cellar Selection. —Kerin O’Keefe

Bollinger 2012 La Grande Année Brut (Champagne); $175, 96 points. Still young for a wine of this caliber, this rich Champagne has an immense future ahead of it. The freshness of the wine will mature into the rich toastiness that is such a hallmark of this brand. Oak fermentation and aging have added to the great promise of this fine wine. Drink from 2022. Vintus LLC. Cellar Selection. —R.V.

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin 2012 La Grande Dame Brut (Champagne); $150, 96 points. With a slight preponderance of Pinot Noir in the blend, this wine is rich and impressive. It is still young, with a crisp edge that makes the fruit shine. Apple and citrus flavors are integrated into a mineral vein. Drink from 2022. Moët Hennessy USA. Cellar Selection. —R.V.

Maso Martis 2016 Rosé Extra Brut (Trento); $60, 95 points. Creamy, delicious and loaded with silky finesse as well as depth, this gorgeous sparkler opens with refined aromas reminiscent of freshly made bread dough, woodland berry, pressed rose, chamomile and baking spice. The dry savory palate delivers juicy strawberry, pomegranate, white pepper, crushed herb and a hint of pastry cream alongside vibrant acidity. A silky continuous perlage lends even more elegance and keeps you coming back for more. Drink through 2028. Solstars. Cellar Selection. —K.O.

Roederer Estate 2013 L’Ermitage Estate Bottled Brut (Anderson Valley); $55, 95 points. A panoply of subtle aromas and delicate flavors wrapped in a silky, slightly crisp texture give this medium-bodied wine a great sense of elegance. Fresh ginger, biscuits, toasted almonds and mild cherry nuances fill the palate. Best through 2025. Cellar Selection. —Jim Gordon