In compiling the UAE Champagne Index, Gault&Millau considered a huge number of variables across the offerings of the country’s 42 toque-rated licensed restaurants.
From the number of houses, bottles and formats offered to the level of pricing, a lot of elements contribute to a successful Champagne list – as demonstrated by our rundown of the top ten places to drink Champagne in the UAE. Yet the availability of vintages also has a key role to play.
While every eatery included in our full Index offers a variety of non-vintage bottles of Champagne, further exploration of the data gathered reveals that just 19 offer more than five vintage releases in a 750ml format, from rare releases to prized years. Of those lists, we’ve now interrogated the strength of the offering based on two key metrics, variety and value, to give a total score to each of those eateries.
Variety in this instance has been determined based on the number of different vintage Champagnes each restaurant offers.
Value has been determined based on the price of every vintage bottle each restaurant offers as compared with other restaurants offering the same bottles.
With vintage Champagnes often in short supply, availability is subject to change and this Index is intended primarily as a guide to the general standard of the vintage offering at each venue included. The bottles and prices featured are correct according to the wine lists provided by each restaurant over a two week period between September 29 and October 13 2022. Now, having crunched all those numbers, we present the ten restaurants with the best vintage Champagne offerings in the UAE right now.
1. Clap
Not content with leading our top ten best places to drink Champagne in the UAE, DIFC-based Clap also comes out at number one when comparing vintage lists. In fact, the one-toque rated restaurant offers 27 individual vintage bottles – the highest number of any of the restaurants assessed.
Oldest vintage available: 1990
Lowest priced vintage: AED950 for a 2006 Charles Heidsieck Brut Vintage
Highest priced vintage: AED24,000 for a 1990 Dom Pérignon P3
Clap features 27 times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the second-best value bottle in each list it appeared in
Gault&Millau’s Clap review 2022
2. Pierre’s TT
More than a third of the bottles offered at two toque-rated Pierre’s TT are vintages – including some of the oldest and rarest releases available in the UAE.
Oldest vintage available: 1976
Lowest priced vintage: AED2,000 for either a 2002 or 2004 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
Highest priced vintage: AED9,900 for a 1976 Dom Perignon Oenothèque
Pierre’s TT features 13 times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the best value bottle in each entry
Gault&Millau’s Pierre’s TT review 2022
3. Gaia
DIFC-based Greek restaurant Gaia is one of a minority of restaurants in our Index offering more vintage than non-vintage bottles, demonstrating good value across a selection of 11 vintages.
Oldest vintage available: 1994
Lowest priced vintage: AED1,500 for a 2015 Pol Roger Brut Rosé Vintage
Highest priced vintage: AED16,000 for a 1999 Louis Roederer Brut Cristal Vinothèque
Gaia features 11 times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the best value bottle in each entry
Gault&Millau’s Gaia review 2022
4. Al Muntaha
Situated at the top of the Burj Al Arab, Al Muntaha’s wine list is known for its vintages – and its Champagne list is no different. With a total of 19 vintage bottles, Al Muntaha also offers the oldest bottle of any restaurant in our Index: A 1996 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque.
Oldest vintage available: 1966
Lowest priced vintage: AED1,250 for a 2015 Louis Roederer Brut Rosé
Highest priced vintage: AED22,000 for a 1966 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque
Al Muntaha features 19 times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the third-best value bottle in each entry
Gault&Millau’s Al Muntaha review 2022
5. Zuma
The second eatery to make it into both our overall top ten and our top ten vintage Champagne destinations, DIFC’s Zuma offers a total of ten vintage bottles on its list.
Oldest vintage available: 2004
Lowest priced vintage: AED2,250 for a 2008 Bollinger ‘La Grande Année’
Highest priced vintage: AED6,950 for a 2005 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rosé
Zuma features 10 times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the best value bottle in each entry
Gault&Millau’s Zuma review 2022
6. Ossiano
The third venue to feature in both Gault&MIllau top ten rankings so far, Ossiano offers a concise but well-priced selection of eight vintage bottles.
Oldest vintage available: 2003
Lowest priced vintage: AED2,000 for a 2013 Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque Brut
Highest priced vintage: AED6,840 for a 2009 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rosé
Ossiano features eight times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the best value bottle in each entry
Gault&Millau’s Ossiano review 2022
7. L’Amo Bistro Del Mare
Another eatery featuring on both of our top ten rankings so far, L’Amo Bistro Del Mare earns its spot with a vintage-heavy wine list, with more than 60% of its Champagne list comprising vintage bottles.
Oldest vintage available: 2004
Lowest priced vintage: AED1,450 for a 2015 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rosé
Highest priced vintage: AED20,500 for a 2004 Salon Cuvee ‘S’ Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs
L’Amo Bistro Del Mare features 17 times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the third-best value bottle in each entry
Gault&Millau’s L’Amo Bistro Del Mare review 2022
8. Alici
Another eatery previously recognised for having one of the best overall Champagne offerings in the UAE, Alici’s vintage selection also impresses, with 15 vintages offered on a list featuring 33 bottles from 17 different houses.
Oldest vintage available: 2002
Lowest priced vintage: AED1,500 for a 2008 Thiénot Brut
Highest priced vintage: AED 10,000 for a 2012 Salon Cuvee ‘S’ Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs
Alici features 15 times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the third-best value bottle in each entry
Gault&Millau’s Alici review 2022
9. LPM Restaurant & Bar
Having just reopened its doors in Dubai’s DIFC, LPM Restaurant & Bar claimed second place in our rankings of the ten best overall Champagne venues in the country, but earns its spot here with by offering a total of ten different vintage Champagnes.
Oldest vintage available: 2006
Lowest priced vintage: AED1,250 for a 2015 Louis Roederer Brut Rosé
Highest priced vintage: AED9,800 for a 2012 Salon Cuvee ‘S’ Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs
LPM Restaurant& Bar features 10 times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the second-best value bottle in each entry
Gault&Millau’s LPM Restaurant & Bar review 2022
10. Il Borro Tuscan Bistro
One-toque rated Il Borro Tuscan Bistro, at Jumeirah Al Naseem, also features in our selection of the ten best places to drink Champagne in the UAE. The restaurant offers a concise but interesting list of six different vintage Champagnes.
Average Champagne Index placement across 6 vintage entries: 2
Oldest vintage available: 2002
Lowest priced vintage: AED2,500 for a 2013 Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque Brut
Highest priced vintage: AED12,000 for a 2012 Salon Cuvee ‘S’ Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs
Il Borro Tuscan Bistro features six times in our overall Champagne Index and on average offers the second-best value bottle in each entry
Gault&Millau’s Il Borro Tuscan Bistro review 2022
The vintage rankings in full
1. CLAP
2. Pierre’s TT
3. Gaia
4. Al Muntaha
5. Zuma
6. Ossiano
7. L’Amo Bistro Del Mare
8. Alici
9. LPM Restaurant & Bar
10. Il Borro Tuscan Bistro
11. Celebrities by Mauro Colagreco
12. Il Ristorante Niko Romito
13. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
14. Pierchic
15. At.mosphere Restaurant & Lounge
16. COYA
17. STAY by Yannick Alléno
18. Hoseki
19. Armani/Ristorante