Non vintage champagne – where's the value?

Of all the wines in the world, champagne is the big success story. While other French wine regions have struggled, the Champagne region has to be extended to keep up with demand. While the Bordelais and Midi producers try desperately to build brands, champagne is the most successfully branded wine in the world.

But as a wine lover, rather than a connoisseur of marketing, I find this rather depressing. The vast majority of champagne sold is a non-vintage blend but my most recent comparison of some of the best known of them was a far from uplifting experience – especially...