Non Vintage NV ~ The benchmark style, and the wine that the reputations of the houses live or die by,is the non vintage blend. Each year, a quantity of base wine is held back in reserve, and small amounts of this older, maturer wine are used to give a softer feel and more complex flavour to what would be otherwise be very raw,acidic wine. When there has been a run of good vintages, the quality of th NV goes up significantly. Styles vary enormously from one producer to the next . What unites the best are good balance, roundness of texture and depth of flavour leading to a long finish. The best houses to consider are Charles Heidsieck,Pol Roger, Bollinger, Veuve Clicquot,Billecart - Salmon, Taittinger, and Louis Roederer to name a few.