Champagne: five best wines to buy for Valentine's Day

Those fine lines of bubbles rising through pale gold liquid equate with elegance, luxury, prestige. But let me add another word to that list: rubbish.

I can't forget my shock on my first sight of champagne vineyards. Projecting through the hard, dry soil were fragments of all kinds of rubbish - plastic, broken glass, metals and more. These weren't sites exploited by third-rate growers aiming to meet the insatiable demands of supermarkets for bargain bottles.

Often they were proudly emblazoned with the names of top houses, makers of premium styles.

The green champagne vineyards of Jean-Marc Charpentier (Image: Champagne Charpentier Charly-Sur-Marn)

It's a memory that won't go away, and I doubt that the rubbish has gone either. Removing it is simply too huge a task. It came principally from Paris, through much of the last century, in a misguided attempt to fertilise the vines.

Mention this now, and some producers go angrily on the defensive. Similarly, they're often furious at any reference to massive amount of chemicals and constant mechanical working which has also contributed to creating those sad soils I saw. However fine the wines from vines that grew in them, they have coloured my view of champagne ever since.

But practices move on, and the current green enthusiasm is advancing in champagne as elsewhere through the wine world. This column was prompted by a recent article (by Richard Woodard in DrinksBusinessNews) on Ruinart's vitiforestry initiative, where wildlife-friendly hedges are being planted in place of some rows of vines, with trees planned to follow.

Victor Gandon, who is in charge of the project, acknowledges the challenge: “We are facing really important problems of dying soils in champagne," he told Woodard. He laments the lack of biodiversity in the vineyards, due to cultivation of vines alone and the use of heavy mechanical equipment.

Ruinart is not alone. Louis Roederer's soil improvement efforts include a justly celebrated pioneering approach in embracing organic and biodynamic culture, and Taittinger is another major house to prioritise environmental protection throughout its large vineyard area.

"Biodiversity is a successful balance," says Taittinger vineyard director Christelle Rinville. "Fine grapes produce fine champagnes."

Smaller growers are among the biggest supporters of green viticulture. Typical is Jean-Marc Charpentier, head of his eponymous eight-generation family vineyard where he practices both organics and biodynamics. Simplicity and authenticity, alongside patience, are his essentials, and among the fine results are elegant, delicate Charpentier Terre d'Emotion Brut Vérité (£50, thewhiskyexchange.com).Charpentier's Terre Emotion is a fine example of Champagne but at £50 is more than twice the price of the Cava recommended below (Image: Courtesy of the Producer)

But while numbers of organic champagne growers have soared in recent years, they are a far smaller proportion than in many other French regions. Deterring more joining them are the many challenges presented by the region's only-just-vine-friendly climate.

Overall, industry body Comité Champagne has plenty of ambitions for a greener future, but it's taking time to achieve them.

Way south in Spain, where quality cava is a serious and temptingly priced alternative to champagne, things are rather different. Organic production has soared by some 250% in the last five years and by the end of 2025 all cavas in the guada superior category (reservas, gran reservas and place-specific paraje calificados) will have to be fully organic.

And for all cavas the regulatory board is pushing hard for sustainability, in both vineyards and overall production.All quality Cavas will soon have to be organic and this example available at Islington Wine is excellent value at £16 (Image: Courtesy of the producer)

To test out the potential, and since Valentine's Day is nearly upon us, here's a splendid, excellent-value cava from a producer completing full conversion to organic growing: Roger Goulart Reserva Brut 2019 (£16, Islington Wine), aromatic and full flavoured with fine bubbles, perfect to drink now.

For other ideas for celebratory winter drinking, let's start with two warming reds from South America. Errazuriz Max Carmenère (£13, Tesco) comes from the range honouring the Chilean company's inspirational founder and has appealing, ripe-fruited character alongside a tiny touch of leafiness to freshen the palate.Rhone reds are ideal for winter and this Lirac is great value and much less than nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Image: Courtesy of the producer)

Zuccardi Q Malbec (£13 mix-6, Majestic) hails from high in the Andes where cool nights help retain juiciness alongside dark red fruit concentration and a hint of spice.

Rhône reds are also ideal now, and a memorable example is organic Domaine Giraud Lirac (£22, gauntleys.com, virginwines.co.uk: hugely complex, perfumed, elegant and delicious - challenging the finest from more-pricey Châteauneuf across the river.Errazuriz Max is a recommended bottle for February (Image: Courtesy of the producer)

And a final white - and green - suggestion, Villa Maria Organic Earth Garden Sauvignon (£12, Tesco), has all the aromatics expected of the grape in New Zealand.