What is Vintage Champagne?

WHAT DOES VINTAGE MEAN?

In oenology, the vintage refers to the year of harvest of the grapes used to make and produce the wine. From one vintage to the next, it is the weather conditions that determine the quality of the grapes. These variations depend on the climatic conditions from one year to the next. Indeed, the vineyard can suffer from climatic hazards affecting the vintage (hail, frost, heat, fires). The quality of the wine can therefore vary from year to year, from mediocre to exceptional.

DEFINITION OF VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE

A Vintage Champagne, unlike other non-vintage Champagnes including Brut, Extra-Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Demi-Sec or Rosé, is a Champagne made from a blend of wines from a single year. Generally, a Vintage Champagne is the expression of an excellent year and the sign of a prestigious cuvée, endowed with a true typicity.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE

A Vintage Champagne is therefore a great Champagne from an exceptional year and made only from the year's harvest. Only the best years are vintage. The decision to declare a vintage or not is the responsibility of each Champagne House. Indeed, Champagne houses only declare a vintage in rare and great years. Over a decade, the opportunity often arises only two or three times. When tasted, Vintage Champagnes are often longer on the palate, more intense, and have more body. Their rarity, their production requirements and their symbolic value mean that their price is much higher than a non-vintage cuvée.

AGEING REQUIREMENTS

Vintage Champagnes must be aged for at least three years, starting from the bottling. However, in reality, this maturation phase is often longer. Some major houses do not hesitate to leave the Champagne in the cellar for 5 or 10 years.

WHAT ARE THE BEST VINTAGES?

Each vintage is the fruit of an exceptional terroir and brings you its unique character. Among the best years, because the list is long, we can remember the year 1996, 1985 and 2002 classified as an exceptional vintage. 2002 was a great year for the whole of Champagne and in particular for the Chardonnays. These balanced and fine Champagnes will be able to rest for another five to ten years in the cellar. The greatest will reach their peak in 20 years.

VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE GIFTS FOR A CONNOISSEUR

A symbol of celebration and conviviality, Champagne accompanies all the important moments of our lives. Vintage Champagnes, synonymous with prestige, are more memorable for the connoisseur. Their unique and exquisite character offers all the qualities expected of the great Champagne Houses. There are many prestige vintages that are most appreciated by Champagne connoisseurs. Discover our selection of vintages, Blanc de Blancs Vintage, Rosé Vintage and Brut Vintage, through the greatest Champagne Houses.

WHAT TO PAIR WITH A VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE?

Exceptional Champagne is synonymous with fine gastronomy. In absolute terms, many combinations are possible, it's a matter of taste! Considered as a gastronomic wine, Vintage Champagne accompanies many dishes and allows refined gastronomic pairings. Not necessarily recommended as an aperitif, Vintage Champagne is best served with elaborate dishes such as a chicken supreme stuffed with truffles. It is the ideal companion for delicate and tender textures such as shellfish, veal fillet, noble fish and poultry. A Vintage Champagne can also be enjoyed with cheese, especially with aged cheeses such as Comté or Parmesan. For dessert, strawberry tart or chocolate cake will highlight the finesse of the vintage.

WHEN TO OPEN A VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE?

Generally, Vintage Champagnes are powerful wines that reveal a complex aromatic palette, but also a remarkable finesse of the bubbles, a sign that the cuvée has spent several years ageing in the cellar. Vintage Champagnes are particularly suitable for marking an important year: a wedding, an anniversary, a birth or any other important event. They are therefore often drunk on special occasions or celebrations and create unique gastronomic experiences.

HOW LONG TO KEEP A VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE?

Vintage Champagnes have a longer shelf life than non-vintage Brut Champagnes and are best suited for cellaring. These Vintage Champagnes can be enjoyed now or kept for up to 10 or 20 years. Some Champagnes can even easily be kept for 20 to 30 years after bottling, provided they are kept in very good conditions. If you buy a Vintage Champagne to keep, the ideal is to opt for a magnum or jeroboam and to make sure that the bottle is stored in the cellar, lying in the dark and protected from draughts.