Tsarine Champagne by Maison Chanoine Frères:10 Best Bottles, Prices

Tsarine Champagne, crafted by Maison Chanoine Frères, is renowned for its elegance, delicate bubbles, and seductive floral and citrusy notes! 

This legendary Champagne producer created the first Tsarine Champagne in the 19th century as an homage to the Russian high society.

There are nine signature Tsarine Champagne styles, made with varying amounts of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. 

Let’s take an in-depth look at the different styles of Tsarine Champagne, the best bottles to buy, and serving and food pairing tips. 

We'll also explore the winemaking and origin story of this Champagne producer. 

9 Magnificent Styles Of Tsarine Champagne

Let's take a look at each of the magnificent Tsarine wine styles:

1. Tsarina Brut
2. Tsarine By Adriana
3. Tsarine Blancs De Blancs
4. Tsarine Premier Cru
5. Tsarine Cuvee Orium
6. Tsarine Milleseme
7. Tsarine Brut Premium
8. Tsarine Brut Rose
9. Tsarine Demi-Sec

1. Tsarina Brut

This dazzling golden-colored Champagne is a blend of 54% Chardonnay, 41% Pinot Noir, and 5% Pinot Meunier. 

It opens with a fresh aroma of lime blossom, baked apples, candied orange, and a hint of spice. The palate is structured and reveals apricot and lemon flavors, strong minerality, and a long finish. 

This wine won the bronze medal at International Wine Challenge 2018. 

Dosage: 5 grams of sugar per liter  

2. Tsarine By Adriana

Head winemaker Isabelle Tellier created this limited edition Cuvee in collaboration with Adriana Karembeu (Adriana Karembeu is a Slovak Model and Champagne Tsarine Ambassador.) 

This Champagne blend contains 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir, and 33% Pinot Meunier. 

It has a delightful palate with peach and brioche aromas followed by subtle orange blossom and ginger flavors. 

This Cuvee is an elegant expression of harmony and finesse, and it was awarded the Gold Medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK) in 2017. 

Dosage: 12 grams of sugar per liter

3. Tsarine Blancs De Blancs

The Blancs De Blancs Champagne by Maison Chanoine is a product of pure finesse and great freshness.

This bubbly is made with 100% Chardonnay grapes from the Cote des Blancs and the Grand Cru villages of Cramant, Avize, Oger and Mesnil Sur Oger. 

The pale golden color of this bubbly exudes a sense of lightness.

It opens with a floral aroma of linden and hawthorn and a touch of candied lemon. The palate bursts with pineapple and citrus flavors followed by delicate salinity and spice.

Dosage: 5 grams of sugar per liter

4. Tsarine Premier Cru

The Tsarine Premier Cru is golden-yellow colored - a product of 68% Pinot Noir and 32% Chardonnay.

It exudes vibrant lime blossom, grapefruit, quince, and anise aromas. This bubbly offers flavors of apricot and toasted almond accentuated by a long vinous finish. 

Dosage: 5 grams of sugar per liter

5. Tsarine Cuvee Orium

The Tsarine Cuvee Orium is a blend of 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Meunier, and 33% Pinot Noir. 

This copper-gold Champagne reveals delicate bubbles with subtle acacia blossoms, bitter orange, and licorice fragrances. The silky palate leads to a refreshing mineral finish. 

Dosage: 3 grams of sugar per liter

6. Tsarine Milleseme

This vintage Champagne reveals delicate lightness and subtle aromas of fresh butter and brioche. 

It is a light-bodied wine made with 39% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir, and 29% Pinot Meunier.

The wine exhibits dominant flavors of hawthorn blossom with hints of honey and licorice, followed by a long saline finish.

Dosage: 5 grams of sugar per liter

7. Tsarine Brut Premium

The Tsarine Brut Premium by Maison Chanoine Freres has an alcohol content of 12% and delicate bubbles.

This Champagne is a blend of 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Meunier, and 33% Pinot Noir. 

It reveals notes of mirabelle plum and grape blossoms on the nose. The palate exhibits elegance with pronounced peach and apricot flavors and a subtle citrus finish.

Dosage: 8 grams of sugar per liter 

8. Tsarine Brut Rose

This Brut Rose has a bright pink hue.

The Champagne is a blend of 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Meunier, and 33% Pinot Noir.

It brims with strawberry, redcurrant, and blackcurrant aromas accompanied by a long tart-flavored finish. 

Dosage: 8 grams of sugar per liter

9. Tsarine Demi-Sec

Every sip of Tsarine Demi-Sec brings delightful sweetness and immense pleasure. 

It’s a blend of 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Meunier, and 33% Pinot Noir. 

The palate reveals delicate notes of quince and fresh grape. The nose is opulent with seductive candied fruit and spice aromas. 

Dosage: 36 grams of sugar per liter 

10 Best Tsarine Champagne Bottles To Buy in 2022

Here are ten Tsarine Champagnes that must be on every wine lover’s wishlist:

1. 2014 Chanoine Tsarine Brut Millesime, France ($36)
2. Chanoine Tsarine 'Tzarina' Brut, France ($139)
3. Chanoine Tsarine Brut Rose, France ($65) 
4. Chanoine Tsarine Premier Cru Brut, France ($61) 
5. Chanoine Tsarine Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut, France ($90)
6. Chanoine Tsarine Cuvee Orium, France ($75)
7. Chanoine Tsarine Cuvee Premium Brut, France ($49)
8. Chanoine Tsarine Cuvee Adriana, France ($99)
9. Chanoine Tsarine Demi-Sec, France ($55)
10. 2009 Chanoine Tsarine Brut Millesime, France ($49)

Tsarine Champagne: Serving And Food Pairing Tips

Enjoy your Tsarine Champagne with these gourmet suggestions by Isabelle Tellier, head winemaker of Maison Chanoine Freres: 

• Tsarina Brut:

  • Grilled lobster
  • Pan-fried squid with lemon
  • Chaource cheese
  • Yuzu sorbet

• Tsarine By Adriana:

  • Poultry
  • Blanquette of veal
  • Chicken Milanese
  • Tandoori chicken
  • Mirabelle plum tart
  • Light brioche dessert

• Tsarine Blancs De Blancs:

  • Roasted lobster with vanilla butter
  • Monkfish tagine with candied lemon
  • Pineapple and lime meringue pie
  • Pineapple coconut tiramisu

• Tsarine Premier Cru:

  • Porcini mushroom risotto
  • Grilled lobster
  • Cumin Gouda cheese
  • Hazelnut financier

• Tsarine Cuvee Orium:

  • Sea bream sushi
  • Salmon sashimi
  • Beef carpaccio
  • Fina apricot tart

• Tsarine Milleseme:

  • Scallop or crab carpaccio
  • Roasted rack of veal

• Tsarine Brut Premium:

  • Dry-cured ham tapas
  • Avacado salmon poke bowl
  • Cheeses like Parmesan or Comte

• Tsarine Brut Rose:

  • Baba ganoush
  • Sea bream tartare
  • Small colored macaroons

• Tsarine Demi-Sec:

  • Fresh goat cheese
  • Fourme d’Ambert on toast
  • Pear tart and almond cream

Tsarine Champagnes are best served at 10 to 12 degrees Celsius (50 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Champagne Tsarine Winemaking

The winemaking process reflects the style and personality of the Champagne house:

• Harvest: The grapes are handpicked and pressed. 
• Fermentation: The alcohol and malolactic fermentation take place in vats at 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit.) 
• Blending: Head winemaker Isabelle Tellier chooses the varying proportions of the three Champagne grape varieties, creating perfect harmony in the final blend. 

The non-vintage Tsarine Champagnes comprise 75% of the current year's harvest and 25% reserve wines.

• Second fermentation: The second fermentation takes place in the bottle, transforming the still wine into sparkling wine.
• Riddling: The bottles are tilted upside down, so all the dead yeasts can fall down into the bottleneck and cap. 
• Disgorging: The house uses two methods, "à la volée" (by hand) or "à la glace" (freezing the bottleneck), to remove the dead yeast.
• Dosage: A varying dosage of sugar is added to each bottle.

The Origin Story of the Sensational Tsarine Champagne

In 1730, the Chanoine family was granted the honor of excavating the first cellars in Epernay. 

Around 1787, the Chanoine brothers introduced their wines throughout Europe - from the King of France to England, Germany, and the court of the Russian Empress Anna Ivanovna. 

During the 19th century, French culture and French Champagne became quite popular in the Russian high society (deeply influenced by the reign of Empress Anna Ivanovna.)  

The Chanoine Brothers created Tsarine as a tribute to the Russian Empire, with the bottle design reflecting the swirling spires of the St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow.

In 1991, the Lanson BCC group acquired Maison Chanoine Freres. 

In 2001, Madame Isabelle Tellier was made head winemaker, one of the first women to hold that position in a Champagne house.

Celebrate with An Exquisite Bottle Of Tsarine Champagne

Tsarine Champagne is a delightful bubbly you can sip on at a dinner party or a relaxing family dinner.  So, pick your favorite style and stock on a bottle or two.

However, if you’re looking for more investment-worthy bottles, Vinovest offers an easy way to buy, store, and sell collectible wines from across the world.