Two expert wine consultants, whose identities were kept secret, did the tasting. The judges never knew what they were tasting. The job was to evaluate appearance, closely examining the color and clarity. They checked how the bubbles felt in the mouth and most importantly, judged for flavor. Overall, they were looking for more than one flavor.
Complexity is very important.
It was nosed out by a French champagne produced by Piper-Heidsieck. The French were not the only winners. Domaine Carneros, a California sparkling wine by Tattinger, was pronounced a best buy. Consumer Reports suggests you serve champagne in a flute. You'll get better bubbles and aroma.