Taittinger Champagne Brut La Francaise NV (6L)

This is one of Champagne's most dependable non-vintage Bruts in a 6-litre bottle, which is eight standard bottles' worth poured from one bottle that will stop a room. What sets La Française apart from other house NVs is the Chardonnay. At 40% of the blend, alongside 35% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier, it's a share that is unique among fine non-vintage Champagnes. It also gets more time than most: almost four years on its lees in the chalk cellars beneath Reims, more than double the 15-month legal minimum. The grapes come from at least 35 villages and are picked by hand, and the presses sit right in the vineyards so the fruit is pressed straight away. With nearly 300 hectares of its own vines across 37 crus, Taittinger grows an unusual amount of its own fruit for a house this size. Open this at a wedding, a milestone birthday or any table big enough to deserve it. Plan ahead, though: a bottle this size needs hours in a big ice bath to chill properly, and a steady pair of hands to pour.