Champagne is an alcoholic sparkling wine beverage which originates from the Champagne region of France. The best champagne is that which ranks the highest among the sparkling wines which come from Champagne. Though wine which is not from the Champagne region can be exceptional, it is not considered among the best champagnes and is simply referred to as sparkling wine, spumante or sekt. The method by which champagne is made dates back to the 17th century and remains a tradition in the champagne industry, referred to as the Traditional Method.http://oldworldwine.suite101.com/article.cfm/champagne_vs_sparkling_wine

There are numerous sorts of champagne, and many elements to the ranking system which evaluates them. Champagne can be split into distinct groups which represent its age, color, variety and blend of wine as well as it's flavor and degree of sweetness. The ranking system the French use to rate champagne is referred to as the scale of growth or "échelle des crus" in French and is based on a complicated systems of checks and measures.http://www.thewinenews.com/decjan0102/cover.html While this sophisticated system is used primarily for the pricing, [marketing]], sale and distribution of champagne, it also affects the opinion of critics and experts who rate champagne for consumers[.

Depending on who is ranking the champagne, an array of different brands prevail. However there are a few which are present on everyone's lists. One is Cristal Roederer, a champagne which was founded the same year as the United States and has gone virtually unchanged since.http://www.luxist.com/2010/06/17/worlds-best-champagne/ Another is Champagne Krug which is uniquely aged and fermented in oak. Dom Pérignon of Moët et Chandon also ranks highly, as the namesake of the monk who invented the beverage.http://wineintro.com/champagne/domperignon.html