2018
- Score
- 98.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
Record rainfall through the first half of the year gave way to the second warmest summer on record, and picking began on 20 August, the earliest start Champagne has recorded.
2017
- Score
- 96.0
- out of 100, from 4 critics
- Drinkers
- 84.0
- 1 rating
Severe April frosts destroyed between 20 and 70 per cent of the crop depending on the village, then July and August rain brought botrytis and sour rot to roughly a fifth of what survived.
2015
- Score
- 95.3
- out of 100, from 4 critics
- Drinkers
- 90.4
- 14 ratings
The hottest year on record to that point. A dry summer broke with mid-August rain, then cool sunny weather carried the fruit to harvest.
2013
- Score
- 96.2
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 90.0
- 18 ratings
A cool, rainy spring delayed the cycle so far that flowering ran into late July, then a record-breakingly hot and sunny July and August rescued it. Picking ran through October in cool conditions.
2012
- Score
- 97.0
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.3
- 13 ratings
April frosts hit 131 villages and hail and disease followed, cutting yields to 9,208 kg/ha, the lowest since 2003. An August heatwave delivered ripeness and cool nights preserved acidity.
2010
- Score
- 95.1
- out of 100, from 6 critics
- Drinkers
- 95.5
- 16 ratings
A very cold winter with heavy frosts, then mid-August rains that brought widespread rot, hitting Pinot Noir hardest.
2009
- Score
- 95.2
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 97.5
- 4 ratings
A very cold, dry winter followed by the warmest, most sun-filled summer since 2003. Fruit reached optimal maturity in good health.
2008
- Score
- 98.0
- out of 100, from 6 critics
- Drinkers
- 97.3
- 21 ratings
Rainy, dreary and mildew-affected until a transformation to dry sunny weather, warm days and cold nights, that held through the 15 September harvest.
2006
- Score
- 95.5
- out of 100, from 4 critics
- Drinkers
- 95.3
- 3 ratings
A cold winter and spring frosts, then hot sunny conditions through August. Abundant yields of 12,997 kg/ha with heterogeneous ripening.
2005
- Score
- 94.3
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 90.0
- 2 ratings
Warm and dry overall, but July heat and wet brought rot and mildew. An abundant 12,991 kg/ha harvest began on 9 September.
2004
- Score
- 96.0
- out of 100, from 6 critics
- Drinkers
- 97.6
- 5 ratings
A record-volume year at 13,990 kg/ha, saved by August cooling that reduced rot risk and preserved acidity.
2003
- Score
- 94.0
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 100.0
- 2 ratings
Severe April frosts damaged the vines, then an unprecedented heatwave above 40C produced the earliest harvest since 1822. Yields collapsed to 8,100 kg/ha.
2002
- Score
- 96.6
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 96.7
- 3 ratings
A cold winter, mild spring and ideal June flowering produced an abundant, healthy crop of 11,930 kg/ha in near-textbook conditions.
2000
- Score
- 94.0
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 100.0
- 1 rating
A difficult summer with widespread rain and hail, then normal ripening conditions with temperatures above 1999.
1999
- Score
- 94.7
- out of 100, from 4 critics
- Drinkers
- 92.3
- 356 ratings
Early budbreak, May hailstorms, August heat and a damp September. A large crop of 12,989 kg/ha came in ripe and healthy.
1998
- Score
- 93.4
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 92.7
- 307 ratings
Alternating cool and warm weather with April frosts taking about 2 per cent of the potential crop. A large harvest of 12,926 kg/ha.
1996
- Score
- 96.3
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.7
- 821 ratings
Alternating warm and cool spells, then north winds that dehydrated the fruit into extraordinary concentration while cool nights held the acidity. A bumper 10,332 kg/ha.
1995
- Score
- 94.7
- out of 100, from 4 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.0
- 227 ratings
Spring frosts and summer mildew and rot, in the seventh consecutive high-cropping year, yet quality rose above all of it.
1993
- Score
- 91.5
- out of 100, from 3 critics
- Drinkers
- 91.8
- 112 ratings
A regular-sized crop picked from 8 September, into a September that deteriorated with frequent rain, swollen bunches and rot.
1992
- Score
- 91.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 90.0
- 88 ratings
A very long, extremely hot summer with isolated hailstorms. A large harvest of 11,844 kg/ha started on 8 September.
1990
- Score
- 96.8
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.9
- 509 ratings
Frost damage followed by a superb summer, giving the third-largest crop on record at 11,963 kg/ha and the ripest wines since 1959.
1988
- Score
- 93.5
- out of 100, from 4 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.6
- 122 ratings
A late, rainy season delivering a good yield with perfect acidity, picked very late on 26 and 27 September.
1985
- Score
- 96.5
- out of 100, from 3 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.8
- 247 ratings
A severe winter and spring frosts destroyed close to a tenth of the vineyard, worst in the Montagne de Reims, but the cold left the survivors healthy. A tiny 6,827 kg/ha picked from 30 September.
1983
- Score
- 95.0
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 92.3
- 67 ratings
A harsh winter into a cold, damp spring delayed flowering, then a sunny warm summer with adequate rain. An abundant 15,012 kg/ha from 26 September.
1982
- Score
- 95.5
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.8
- 139 ratings
An ideal growing season producing one of the most generous yields in Champagne history, 14,054 kg/ha.
1980
- Drinkers
- 92.1
- 46 ratings
A cold, wet summer disrupted flowering, then an Indian September gave the grapes badly needed heat and sun. The harvest was small.
1978
- Score
- 90.0
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 91.3
- 32 ratings
Poor flowering and the incidence of rot cut the harvest to a very small crop.
1976
- Score
- 94.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 93.8
- 52 ratings
A sunny, hot drought year with record European heat. Early flowering led to a very early harvest opening on 1 September, yielding a large 10,359 kg/ha of super-ripe fruit.
1975
- Score
- 97.0
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.1
- 53 ratings
A cold spring with late budbreak and flowering, then a hot, sunny, dry summer. A relatively large 9,082 kg/ha picked from late September into October.
1973
- Score
- 93.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 94.0
- 60 ratings
A sunny, hot year with quick flowering and a far larger crop than growers expected. Mid-September rains brought rot, worst in Chardonnay, but also swelled the bunches.
1971
- Score
- 96.3
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.6
- 38 ratings
Violent storms and hail cut production to a tiny crop, followed by a hot late season.
1970
- Drinkers
- 92.7
- 22 ratings
Abundant sunshine and rain produced the largest harvest on record at the time.
1969
- Score
- 96.3
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.3
- 28 ratings
A poor spring delayed flowering and the worst mildew of the decade cut yields to 6,100 kg/ha, then the harvest came in sunny and dry.
1966
- Score
- 96.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 94.9
- 32 ratings
Winter frosts and hailstorms reduced yields, and a rainy season with little sunshine was saved by a sunny September and excellent picking conditions.
1964
- Score
- 96.3
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 93.1
- 21 ratings
Solid budbreak, less consistent for Meunier. The harvest began rainy then cleared to hot, dry weather, lifting potential alcohol while acidity held.
1962
- Score
- 94.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 91.0
- 5 ratings
Another low-yielding year following 1961.
1961
- Score
- 98.3
- out of 100, from 3 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.7
- 15 ratings
A severe cold spell at the end of May caused widespread coulure and a small crop, then a hot dry summer brought the survivors to extraordinary ripeness. Picking began around 19 September in excellent condition.
1959
- Drinkers
- 92.6
- 8 ratings
Textbook growing conditions, though fruit was in short supply. Healthy grapes were picked at 11 to 13 per cent potential alcohol.
1955
- Score
- 95.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 85.7
- 3 ratings
Severe May frosts and a cool run into flowering, then magnificent weather for the rest of the season. Ripening ran to late October on a high yield of 8,500 kg/ha.
1952
- Score
- 97.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 91.0
- 2 ratings
The first of back-to-back successful years, a pairing Champagne had not seen since 1899 and 1900.
1949
- Drinkers
- 94.0
- 2 ratings
Hail and millerandage caused problems through the season, then hot, dry weather at harvest kept rot away.
1947
- Drinkers
- 91.7
- 3 ratings
A cold, dry winter and hail in the Cote des Blancs limited yields, then a magnificent growing season ripened the crop perfectly. Picking opened on 5 September, the earliest start since 1893.
1921
- Drinkers
- 99.0
- 1 rating
Warm and very dry, with around 19 inches of rain, the lowest total Champagne had recorded since 1873. The result was a small crop of exceptional quality.
