By Marisa Finetti
New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas sparkles with fireworks and the festive pop of bubbles. Who doesn’t love Champagne? This year, level up your Champagne game with bubbles from artisanal Champagne houses that are a bit humbler and cooler – but every bit celebratory.
Enter Grower Champagne. The term is like a cheat code, unlocking a world of extraordinary wines made by the people who grow the grapes. This means the winemaker cultivates the vineyards, harvests the fruit and produces wine. Think of these wines like buying a sweet and juicy heirloom tomato directly from the farmer – authentic and limited.
While major Champagne houses focus on crafting consistent, signature flavor profiles year after year (nothing wrong with this!), grower Champagnes are all about individuality, handcrafted wines that reflect unique vineyards and personal style.
“It’s hard to beat starting the year with a unique expression and better value,” says Teddy Kriner, General Manager at Bouchon inside The Venetian Las Vegas. “Bouchon offers quite a few [grower Champagnes], including our rosé by the glass, Champagne Hervieux-Dumez.
“We feature selections like the 2018 Roland Champion and 2014 Sanchez-Le Guedard, St. Helene. Other favorites include Gaston Chiquet, Alexandre Salmon and Guy Larmandiere.”
Though grower Champagne accounts for only about 5% of the U.S. market, its appeal is rising in popularity. Mention “Grower Champagne” to a sommelier, and you’ll likely see their eyes light up. It signals that you’re curious, adventurous and eager to explore Champagne beyond the well-known large Champagne houses.
“I don’t look down on people who buy Champagne from larger houses that are often more recognizable brands, but if you’re looking for a more unique experience with greater value, some growers can definitely provide that,” says Cristie Norman, lead sommelier at Delilah Wynn Las Vegas.
Norman highlights Champagne Moussé as a favorite among her somm team and offers a tip for identifying a bottle grower Champagne by looking for the letters “RM” on the label, which stands for Récoltant-Manipulant and translates to “harvester-handler.”
Las Vegas boasts excellent spots to find Grower Champagnes off the Strip, too. Check out Garagiste Wine Room + Merchant in The Arts District, where owner/sommelier Eric Prato offers some of his favorite growers, including Egly-Ouriet and Paul Bara.
“I like Grower Champagne because it showcases a sense of place, reflecting the specific characteristics of a single vineyard or small region within Champagne,” Prato says.
Other places to spot Grower Champagne are Wineaux inside UnCommons and Harlow Steakhouse & Bar at Downtown Summerlin.
Grower Champagnes capture a sense of discovery, perfect for welcoming a new year. But whether you’re popping a bottle with old friends or making new ones, it’s the connections you toast to that make the moment truly unforgettable. Because at the end of the day, the best bubbles are the ones that are shared.
