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
- Drinkers
- 96.0
- 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.
2016
- Score
- 97.4
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 91.2
- 15 ratings
2015
- Score
- 96.4
- out of 100, from 7 critics
- Drinkers
- 91.4
- 25 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.
2014
- Score
- 97.6
- out of 100, from 7 critics
- Drinkers
- 95.7
- 23 ratings
2013
- Score
- 97.9
- out of 100, from 10 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.7
- 15 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
- 97.6
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 96.8
- 24 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.
2009
- Score
- 95.8
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 98.5
- 40 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
- 99.2
- out of 100, from 6 critics
- Drinkers
- 99.1
- 41 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.
2007
- Score
- 95.4
- out of 100, from 7 critics
- Drinkers
- 98.2
- 17 ratings
2006
- Score
- 96.3
- out of 100, from 6 critics
- Drinkers
- 96.2
- 17 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 3 critics
- Drinkers
- 98.2
- 9 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
- 96.4
- out of 100, from 7 critics
- Drinkers
- 99.3
- 15 ratings
A record-volume year at 13,990 kg/ha, saved by August cooling that reduced rot risk and preserved acidity.
2002
- Score
- 97.5
- out of 100, from 6 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.7
- 559 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
- 93.4
- out of 100, from 7 critics
- Drinkers
- 92.7
- 120 ratings
A difficult summer with widespread rain and hail, then normal ripening conditions with temperatures above 1999.
1999
- Score
- 96.2
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.1
- 128 ratings
Early budbreak, May hailstorms, August heat and a damp September. A large crop of 12,989 kg/ha came in ripe and healthy.
1997
- Score
- 93.0
- out of 100, from 3 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.8
- 50 ratings
1996
- Score
- 96.5
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.5
- 140 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
- 94.2
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.1
- 50 ratings
Spring frosts and summer mildew and rot, in the seventh consecutive high-cropping year, yet quality rose above all of it.
1994
- Score
- 90.0
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 90.9
- 14 ratings
1993
- Score
- 91.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 91.5
- 21 ratings
A regular-sized crop picked from 8 September, into a September that deteriorated with frequent rain, swollen bunches and rot.
1990
- Score
- 96.6
- out of 100, from 6 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.8
- 170 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.
1989
- Score
- 96.0
- out of 100, from 6 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.8
- 44 ratings
1988
- Score
- 94.8
- out of 100, from 4 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.5
- 28 ratings
A late, rainy season delivering a good yield with perfect acidity, picked very late on 26 and 27 September.
1986
- Score
- 91.5
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.8
- 11 ratings
1985
- Score
- 95.7
- out of 100, from 5 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.3
- 41 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
- 93.5
- out of 100, from 3 critics
- Drinkers
- 91.9
- 32 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
- 96.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 94.0
- 18 ratings
An ideal growing season producing one of the most generous yields in Champagne history, 14,054 kg/ha.
1981
- Score
- 94.0
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 92.7
- 10 ratings
1979
- Score
- 97.3
- out of 100, from 3 critics
- Drinkers
- 95.0
- 32 ratings
1978
- Score
- 93.2
- out of 100, from 3 critics
- Drinkers
- 94.8
- 6 ratings
Poor flowering and the incidence of rot cut the harvest to a very small crop.
1977
- Score
- 98.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 88.5
- 2 ratings
1976
- Score
- 95.0
- out of 100, from 3 critics
- Drinkers
- 93.7
- 6 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
- 94.0
- out of 100, from 2 critics
- Drinkers
- 95.5
- 4 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.
1974
- Score
- 98.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 91.5
- 2 ratings
1973
- Score
- 94.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 95.0
- 1 rating
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
- Drinkers
- 88.3
- 3 ratings
Violent storms and hail cut production to a tiny crop, followed by a hot late season.
1970
- Score
- 98.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 88.0
- 2 ratings
Abundant sunshine and rain produced the largest harvest on record at the time.
1969
- Score
- 98.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 94.1
- 8 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.
1967
- Score
- 96.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
Frost damaged the vines and grey rot spread through the vineyards. Reporting on the 2010 harvest, the Union des Maisons de Champagne wrote that the rapid "tourne" it saw alongside that year’s rot had not been observed since 1967.
1966
- Score
- 97.0
- out of 100, from 1 critic
- Drinkers
- 93.0
- 2 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
- Drinkers
- 94.4
- 5 ratings
Solid budbreak, less consistent for Meunier. The harvest began rainy then cleared to hot, dry weather, lifting potential alcohol while acidity held.
1962
- Drinkers
- 96.0
- 1 rating
Another low-yielding year following 1961.
1961
- Drinkers
- 92.0
- 1 rating
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
- 99.0
- 2 ratings
Textbook growing conditions, though fruit was in short supply. Healthy grapes were picked at 11 to 13 per cent potential alcohol.
1955
- Drinkers
- 99.0
- 1 rating
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.
