Veuve Clicquot, Champagne Brut NV

Few wine brands carry a story as remarkable as Veuve Clicquot's. When François Clicquot died suddenly in 1805, his 27-year-old widow Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin defied convention to take over the family champagne business — becoming the first woman to run a champagne house in an era when women had few legal or commercial rights. She went on to invent the riddling table, create the first known vintage champagne, and pioneer the first blended rosé, transforming a struggling regional business into a global luxury brand.

The Brut NV carries her legacy in every glass: a blend dominated by Pinot Noir, the grape she favoured above all others, delivering a rich, structured character with the brand's signature yellow label — itself a deliberate symbol of quality dating back to 1877.

A reliable, celebratory champagne for any occasion that deserves a proper toast.