Vintage Champagne is only declared in the finest years and needs 10–20 years to reach full complexity. The 2012 and 2019 are critical darlings; 2016, 2018, and 2020 are exceptional declared vintages worth cellaring.
Year-by-year quality
| Vintage | Quality |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Good |
| 2023 | Very Good |
| 2022 | Outstanding |
| 2021 | Good |
| 2020 | Exceptional |
| 2019 | Outstanding |
| 2018 | Outstanding |
| 2017 | Good |
| 2016 | Outstanding |
| 2015 | Very Good |
| 2014 | Very Good |
| 2013 | Good |
| 2012 | Exceptional |
| 2011 | Good |
| 2010 | Outstanding |
Is your Champagne ready to drink?
Vintage quality is the starting point. Check the drinking window for a specific bottle — no account required.
Check a Champagne wine — freeChampagne vintages — questions answered
Which Champagne vintages are best?
The standout Champagne vintages in this chart are 2020, 2012. These are the years that reward the longest cellaring — see the year-by-year breakdown for how every vintage from 2010 to 2024 rates.
How long should I cellar a Champagne wine?
Vintage Champagne is only declared in the finest years and needs 10–20 years to reach full complexity. The 2012 and 2019 are critical darlings; 2016, 2018, and 2020 are exceptional declared vintages worth cellaring.
Is my Champagne wine ready to drink now?
Vintage quality is only the starting point — readiness also depends on the producer, the wine's style, and how it has been stored. Use our free drinking-window checker for a personalised readiness assessment of any specific Champagne wine.
SOURCES & FRESHNESS
Vintage-chart methodology follows the industry standard set by Wine Spectator — Vintage Charts · verified 2026-07-09. The Quality ratings above are Saignée's own editorial synthesis of collector and critic consensus, not a transcription of any single publication's scores.
Last updated: 2026-07-09