Looking for a Champagne gift that isn't the same big name everyone already gives? Our pick is a grower Champagne: made by the same small family that grows the grapes, in tiny quantities, so you won't see on supermarket shelves. For many people, a standout gift is the vintage "Fût de Chêne" from Godin et Filles, a barrel-fermented blanc de blancs from a small house in the Montagne de Reims. If the lucky gift recipient loves rosé, give the NV Rosé from Godin instead.
What makes a Champagne feel special as a gift?
The big Champagne houses make lovely wine, but everyone recognises the label, so the gift can feel a little boring. A grower Champagne (one made by the family who farms the vines, rather than a large brand buying in fruit) gives you two things a famous name can't: it's made in small quantities, so the person almost certainly hasn't tried it, and it comes with a real story you can tell when you hand it over. For someone who already knows their wine, being introduced to something excellent they haven't met yet is the best part of the gift.
Our top Champagne gift: Godin et Filles Vintage Fût de Chêne
This is a vintage blanc de blancs, which means it's made entirely from Chardonnay, from the Mont de Berru sub-region of the Montagne de Reims. "Fût de chêne" is French for oak barrel, a nod to how it's made, and along with extended time on lees gives the wine real body and depth rather than just crispness. It's a gift for someone who appreciates a Champagne with presence. Find the current vintage in the Godin et Filles range here.
For a rosé lover: Godin et Filles Rosé NV
In our words, the rosé has all the complexity of Godin et Filles' Trois Cépage, with a delightful hint of red fruits like strawberries. It looks beautiful in the glass and drinks seriously well, which makes it a lovely gift for someone who thinks they only like rosé on a hot afternoon. Find the current disgorgement in the Godin et Filles range here.
Want something with a bit of age?
If you'd like to give something with more time in the bottle, the Godin et Filles Vintage Vieilles Vignes is released later than the rest of the Godin range, usually after 10 years, and has extraordinary body, with patisserie flavours mixed with surprising freshness from the 100% Chardonnay fruit. Find the current vintage in the Godin et Filles range here.
Why give a grower Champagne instead of a big house?
Because the people who love wine most are usually the ones most delighted to be shown something new. Godin et Filles isn't a name your friends will already have in their cellar, but the wine stands with the best in its style. You're giving quality without paying for a famous label, and you're supporting a small family who farm and make the wine themselves. Godin et Filles means Godin and Daughters, an acknowledgement of the three sisters who founded the label after 5 generations of their family had grown grapes in Champagne.
How to give it
We sell wine in sixes (you can mix the bottles), with free delivery, so a Champagne gift can be a mixed half-dozen built around one of these bottles. In Sydney we'll often have it there within a few days, and elsewhere it's usually within the week. In hot weather we deliberately hold off shipping to protect the wine, so order with a little room before the day if you can. If you'd rather give an ongoing gift, we also offer bespoke wine subscriptions that can be bought as a present.
FAQ
What is the best Champagne to give as a gift in Australia? For something memorable, give a grower Champagne rather than a big brand. Our pick is the Godin et Filles Fût de Chêne, a vintage blanc de blancs from the Montagne de Reims region, or the Godin et Filles Rosé NV for a rosé lover.
What is grower Champagne? Champagne made by the same family that grows the grapes, usually in small quantities, rather than a large house that buys in fruit. It tends to have more individual character and is less likely to be something the recipient has already tried.
What is a blanc de blancs? A Champagne made entirely from Chardonnay. The Godin et Filles Fût de Chêne and Vieilles Vignes Cuvées are blanc de blancs.
How is the Champagne delivered? We sell in mixed sixes with free delivery, anywhere Australia Post reaches. Sydney is often a few days, elsewhere usually within the week, and we deliberately delay shipping in spells of extended hot weather to protect the wine.