2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000
A bumper crop: 2023 saw the biggest yields for many vintages, thanks to the season swerving most of the potential weather setbacks that usually limit yields. However, high yields brought their own issues. Some fruit may be dilute. In general, Chardonnay manages high yields better than the red Champagne varieties and 2023 Chardonnay looks set to be excellent. Spring was warm, and there were no problems with frost damaging tender young buds. Budburst and flowering were abundant. Rain in August swelled berries and encouraged mildew, which thick-skinned Chardonnay managed better than thin-skinned Pinot. Hot, dry conditions returned in September. Harvest took place in good conditions, and yields were still enormous even after some diseased fruit had been sorted out. Ultimately 2023 will probably be more for blending than vintage releases, but there may also be some attractive vintage releases.
Excellent conditions look likely to have made a very good vintage, both in terms of quality and quantity. Winter was cold (good in terms of killing vineyard pests), spring was balmy. The severe cold snap and April frost happened just before budburst, so most (but not all) vineyards swerved significant damage. Storms in June did some damage to yield, but replenished the water table. Summer was very dry, which meant there were no issues with fungal disease or rot, and there was still enough water in the soils for vines to develop regularly. The threat of sunburn on the grapes was the only real danger of the summer, and demanded growers pay attention to canopy management to shade the grapes. Harvest came early, and saw generous volumes of quality fruit.
2021 saw a very different vintage from the previous year, and conditions in the vineyard were extremely challenging. After a mild winter, warm and wet conditions kicked off the growing season. But temperatures plunged in April and frost ravaged vineyards, with most growers losing at least 30% of their crop – some lost far more. As temperatures recovered, damp weather continued and rot and fungal diseases became rife in the vineyards. There was no hydric stress at all this vintage. June saw rainstorms and flooding. By the end of summer, the conditions in many vineyards were very poor. Harvest was one of the smallest in decades, and demanded careful sorting. However, the grapes displayed vibrant acidity. Most wine is likely to go into non-vintage blends, but the best will have the capacity to make fresh, elegant Champagne with the acid structure to age.
There is no question that the abundant good quality fruit from 2020 will be very promising for quality Champagne. It remains to be seen (writing in 2025) how many houses will want to put the number of the pandemic vintage on bottles of a drink associated with celebration! 2020 saw an accelerated growing season that added to the logistical difficulties growers were already facing in terms of organising workers amid pandemic lockdowns. A balmy spring turned into a warm summer without pause, and ripening happened at an accelerated pace. Some growers were already harvesting in the middle of August as their crop had reached phenolic ripeness, and some struggled with the large volume of fruit they had to take in. But these were grapes of excellent fruit character and complexity.
After the travails of a difficult growing season, 2019 turned out a small but nevertheless good quality vintage, with higher acidity levels than in 2018. There will be some vintage releases, but the larger houses may well choose to swerve vintage releases in favour of blending. A mild start to the season allowed for the early spread of fungal diseases, before temperatures dropped sharply and frost cut a swathe through potential yields. May and early June were wet, and fungal diseases spread apace. In mid-June, the weather switched again, and became hot and dry. July was extremely hot, and some grapes were lost to sunburn. However, there was enough water still in the soil for drought never to became a problem and (crucially) nights remained cool. Hailstorms in August further cut yields. Harvest returned a small crop that needed to be carefully sorted. However, the grapes that had survived the growing season in good condition were ripe and showed attractive aromatics.
A hot year and a bumper crop saw growers compensated for the low yields of the preceding two vintages, and the year saw ripe and generous fruit that led to similarly-styled Champagnes. After the rains of the previous season, there was plenty of water in the ground, which stood the vines in good stead for the long, hot 2018 summer. There was some damage from summer hailstorms, but in most vineyards there was a bountiful crop that was harvested at leisure, in good conditions. There are likely to be a number of vintage releases. With alcohol levels slightly higher and acidities lower, this may not be a vintage for very long aging, but there will be some lovely, generous Champagnes for near- and medium-term drinking.
Another small, tricky vintage, with limited vintage releases. A warm, dry start to the year saw excellent conditions at both budburst and flowering. But August brought heavy rain, which led to grey rot in the vineyards. Wet conditions continued through early autumn, and harvest had to be accelerated. Chardonnay managed the conditions of the year well enough and was uniformly good. Some Pinot Noir was also good, but many Pinot Meunier grapes were in poor condition after the travails of the season.
A difficult vintage, although houses that rose to the challenge of vintage conditions were ultimately able to produce successful Champagnes. Severe April frosts scythed yields across the region, killing young buds. Heavy rain from May to July opened the door to rot and fungal diseases. From mid-July the weather turned dry and hot, and August was extremely hot, leading to some grapes suffering sunburn. Rain in the run-up to harvest caused more headaches for growers. Overall, harvest was a third smaller than average. While many Chardonnay vineyards had struggled to ripen fruit evenly, Pinot Noir seemed to have done surprisingly well in response to the summer heat. Not a vintage of Champagnes for long aging, but some nice Pinot-led vintage Champagnes.
Overall, a very successful vintage defined by the long heat of the summer season, with hot and dry conditions from June to August. In dry vineyards, there was very little disease pressure. But drought became an issue, reducing yields, with some grapes failing to grow properly. The end of August saw some a little rain, which was a relief for those growers who hadn’t already picked, as harvest came very early this year. The harvested fruit was small and rich. Pinot Noir was especially successful. The best examples certainly have more cellar potential at the time of writing (2025). On a side note, 2015 was the hottest-ever vintage for the Champagne region, at the time; yet it has been cooler overall than almost every vintage since. Just like wine producers everywhere, growers in Champagne are having to adapt to an era of global warming.
A good but not great vintage, probably better overall for Chardonnay. Many balanced Champagnes were made with good levels of acidity married to ripe fruit. Some lesser Champagnes are marked by a lack of concentration stemming from dilute fruit, after the summer rains. The year started early, with warm conditions advancing the cycle. There were no severe frost problems. Budburst and flowering took place successfully in warm, dry weather. However, through July and most of August, summer was cool and wet. Fruit struggled to ripen, and the potential for rot in the damp conditions became a concern. Breezy conditions later in August dried the fruit, and staved off serious issues with rot. Finally, the warm, dry September ripened fruit and very much rescued the vintage. The best Champagnes still have cellar potential, while many are now likely to be drinking at or around their best (writing in 2025).
An excellent vintage for Chardonnay (rather than Pinot Noir), despite some very challenging vintage conditions. Definitely a vintage to look at Blanc de Blancs cuvées and Chardonnay-focussed blends, and the best of these might have a long cellar life. Given the high levels of acidity, some commentators guess these may even outlive the 2012s. Winter and spring were cold and wet, delaying both budburst and flowering, and setting the stage for what would ultimately be one of the latest harvests of recent decades. Taking place in cool weather, flowering was uneven, with coulure (failure to ripen) and millerandage (irregular-sized berries) widespread. Yields were clearly going to be low this vintage; but the low grape weight on vines also enabled those grapes to ripen through what would continue to be a cold season. Summer was mild, July was troubled by hail, and ripening was slow. A warm, sunny September finally got the grapes over the line to ripeness, often still with high levels of acidity. Some producers tried to take advantage of the late warmth to pick even later, but then had to run the gauntlet of Autumn rot.
An outstanding vintage, and Pinot Noir was claimed to be the best in decades. Chardonnay was also good, but not quite in the same league. Yields were low overall, but the best 2012 Champagnes have the potential of a long cellar life. It seemed like a challenging year to begin with. A warm winter was followed by a wet spring. Yields were hit by both frost and hail, flowering was uneven, and as the weather warmed up, disease began to rear its head. However, August completely changed the panorama, with very hot, dry weather. September was a little cooler, but remained sunny, and the bright, warm conditions allowed the grapes to complete ripening. The low yields allowed for high-quality, aromatically-intense grapes, and ripeness and acidity were well balances. Good 2012 vintage Champagnes are drinking very well now (writing in 2025) and the best will have the potential to develop further.
A very poor vintage with few vintage releases, and the very large majority of the crop put towards non-vintage blends. The growing season was erratic. Spring was warm and dry between March and May, and vine growth and flowering were advanced. Things turned around in June, which was cool and damp, and heavy rains came in July. August was then furiously hot, with the heat spike causing some vines to shut down. There was also significant hail damage, which in turn caused problems with rot. Intermittent rains also made harvest time complicated. While Chardonnay performed better than black grapes, most grapes were dilute and characterised by low potential alcohol. This led to weak-bodied Champagnes which may seem hollow on the mid-palate. Any 2011 vintage Champagnes should not be considered for long cellaring, and ought to be drunk up.
Few vintage releases were made in a vintage that was difficult and disappointing for Champagne. Winter and spring were both cold, and dry conditions continued through the early season, retarding development. By summer, drought was causing vines to shut down. Things flipped completely in mid-August, with the arrival of torrential rains which caused both damage and disease pressure in the vineyards. Grapes approached harvest swollen and thus diluted. Pinot Noir and particularly Pinot Meunier suffered badly from botrytis, heavily reducing yields. Drier, windy conditions improved the quality of the crop in the run-up to harvest. Chardonnay fared better than the red grape varieties, but the fruit of 2010 was almost exclusively used for blends rather than vintage releases.
A ripe, warm vintage led to particularly successful Pinot Noir and generous Champagnes, the best of which have lasted well, even if they may not be for keeping longer. A dry winter left the water table low and soils in need of water, and spring obliged with some much-needed showers. Budburst and flowering were both successful. While July was stormy, August was warm and sunny, with cool nights. The dry heat impeded the spread of rot and disease. There was no rain at all in September until after the harvest was away. The resulting wines are rich, ripe and generous, but with enough acidity to provide balance.
An outstanding vintage saw many top-quality Champagnes releases, but it didn’t look so promising for much of the growing season. Cold winter conditions continued into spring, when there was some frost damage. Warmer conditions prevailed for good flowering. However, much of summer was cool and damp, and growers had to be vigilant against outbreaks of oidium and mildew. The weather remained cool but turned dry in August; September was idyllic. The cooler-than-average growing season allowed grapes to ripen slowly, preserving acidity, while the light and warmth of September supplied all the necessary phenolic ripeness. Champagnes were excellent, balanced, ripe and energetic. Many will be drinking well now (writing in 2025), and the best will continue to develop well in the cellar.
A very uneven vintage, though by no means as bad in Champagne as it was widely considered to be elsewhere. The start of the season was hot, and conditions at flowering were excellent. But summer was cold, wet and overcast, leaving growers fighting against rot. The weather finally turned towards the end of August, with sunnier conditions and a drying east wind. Chardonnay was less affected by the chaotic season than Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier, and had ripened more consistently. With thinner skins, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier also suffered more from rot. Acidity levels were overall on the higher side, which will help these Champagnes last in the cellar.
A good but not excellent vintage, better overall for Chardonnay. A dry and sunny early summer allowed flowering to take place in excellent conditions, and raised expectations for a great harvest. But August was rainy and humid, raising the spectre of fungal diseases. The weather turned in September again, and harvest unfolded in ideal conditions: dry, sunny days and cool nights. Chardonnay was excellent, both ripe and fresh; Pinot could be on the riper side and sometimes low in acidity, so the better cuvées tend to be Chardonnay-driven.
A good if not outstanding vintage for Champagne. Vintage Champagnes were made, though the year is not remembered as fondly as in other regions, and it has been eclipsed in cellars by 2004. The growing season was unsettled, which may have resulted in some lacklustre fruit, but the run-up to harvest was hot and dry. As a result, there were no issues with ripening either Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, but acidities were often on the lower side. Champagnes tend to be quite broad in style. It may be time to drink these Champagnes up.
An excellent year with structured, well-balanced Champagnes which are performing well in cellars. The combination of quality and volume delighted growers, and it was a bumper year in every sense. In the early season, budburst and flowering happened in good conditions, maximising potential yields. The 2003 drought meant that groundwater levels were still low, which in turn meant that the incidence of fungal diseases was low. August was wet and cool. The combination of mostly dry weather, warm days and cool nights in September were ideal for the run-up to harvest, and produced an excellent crop of grapes which balanced ripeness with good acidity.
The year of the great heatwave started with April frosts and snow, which wiped out many young buds, and guaranteed low yields for the vintage. June was one of the hottest ever recorded in Champagne, and hailstorms caused more damage. July and August remained hot and dry. Harvest began in late August, and had to be rushed as grape sugars were soaring. Pinot fared better than Chardonnay overall, and there were some excellent Pinot-led blends in a ripe style. Vintage releases are likely to be on the mature side now.
A great vintage, with close-to-perfect conditions resulting in very ageworthy Champagnes, many of which are now drinking at their best. (Writing in 2025). It was a warm and mostly dry growing season, though there were significant storms in August which served to replenish some much-needed water in the soil. The skies cleared in early September for a beautiful harvest of ripe fruit cut through with bright acidity.
A poor year with very few vintage releases. It got off to a great start. Winter was wet and replenished groundwater. May and June were sunny and dry, and flowering went well. July was wet, and in response many growers performed a green harvest. August saw very high temperatures and grapes ripened quickly. It all went wrong in September, with unremittingly cold and wet weather. Harvest began at the end of the month, but the weather (and the growers) remained gloomy. Selective picking was necessary to avoid rotten and under ripe fruit, and many of the grapes that were brought in were dilute. Most of the fruit brought in this year was blended into non-vintage releases.
An excellent vintage. The best Champagnes are likely to have lasted this long and may be at their peak, according to taste. Spring began well, with good conditions and fast growth through to flowering. In June, heavy rains were followed by a severe hailstorm that destroyed a lot of fruit. July and most of August were unseasonably cool, and grapes were slow to ripen. In September, though, warm and dry conditions turned the season around, leading to a crop of ripe fruit that retained good acidity. Harvest began in mid-September and lasted till the end of the month.
