Champagne · indicative values: the producer, the vintage and storage conditions come first.
Recommended ageing: 3 to 12 years after the vintage.
For example, a 2020 red Coteaux Champenois drinks best between 2023 and 2032, with a peak plateau around 2026-2030.
Recommended ageing: 2 to 12 years after the vintage.
For example, a 2020 white Coteaux Champenois drinks best between 2022 and 2032, with a peak plateau around 2026-2030.
A great year outlives an average one: the window moves with the vintage. The most recent rated years in Champagne, applied to the ageing for red Coteaux Champenois given above.
| Vintage | Rating | Drink |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Great | 2022–2032 |
| 2018 | Great | 2021–2031 |
| 2016 | Good | 2019–2028 |
| 2015 | Good | 2018–2027 |
| 2014 | Good | 2017–2026 |
| 2013 | Great | 2016–2026 |
| 2012 | Outstanding | 2015–2026 |
| 2009 | Good | 2012–2021 |
| 2008 | Outstanding | 2011–2022 |
| 2006 | Great | 2009–2019 |
| 2004 | Great | 2007–2017 |
| 2002 | Outstanding | 2005–2016 |
The full history, back to the older vintages: Vintage Champagne.
Before the window opens, the wine is in its youth: fruit dominates, tannins or acidity can feel stern. During the peak plateau, everything falls into balance: this is the moment ageing prepares. Beyond it, the wine slowly declines: nothing unsafe, but the emotion fades. These are general benchmarks for the appellation, not a verdict on your bottle.
Curious where these numbers come from? The method is published in full: five levels from the estate down to the grape, corrected by the vintage and the bottle format.
Other appellations in Champagne, each with its own window:
Caviste computes this window for every bottle in your cellar: photograph the label, the sheet fills itself in (estate, vintage, appellation) and the app tells you when a bottle reaches its peak. Discover Caviste.