Compare And Contrast Champagne Vintages 2008 And 2012

There was quite a bit of comparing of Champagne vintages 2008 and 2009. Although both are quite good, the two vintages are significantly different. It would seem that 2008 and 2012 are more similar in style and quality. As with 2002, there are apparently issues with some of the Chardonnay from both 2008 and 2012. (VC’s 2008 Grande Dame is 93% Pinot Noir.) Early reports are that Krug’s 164 eme and 168 eme are comparable in both style and quality. With the huge enthusiasm of the 2008 vintage, will 2012 be equally embraced and will 2012 prove to be the equal, if not superior of 2008?

Thanks for starting this thread. Eager to hear what our experienced champagne drinkers have to say…

I don’t think 12 is as good a chard vintage as 08. I think it’s a great Pinot vintage, though. I believe 12 is a higher production vintage.

It’s worth remembering that a lot of the production decisions made with 2008 were due to the economy at the time.

2012 was quite a low-yielding vintage in Champagne, for similar reasons to why it was a low yielding vintage in Burgundy (frost, Spring disease pressure). The wines are deep, concentrated and muscular, and though the acids are racy, they are not such tensile wines as the 2008s. Rather than being built around an incisive spine of acidity like 2008, 2012s are more built around texture and structure, even though the acidity is certainly there. It is a very nice vintage though I think fair to say not as elegant as 2008, and the wines seem built for the cellar. I personally bought a bit very much with a view to aging: Cristal and mags of Pol Roger vintage, for example. Prévost’s Climax bottling from 2012 is maybe the best wine I ever tasted from him. We will see the 2012 Dom Pérignon released this year, so that will be interesting, and I imagine quite a few other 2012s will be hitting the market too. In terms of character, I often notice a sort of “grilled” aromatic top-note in 2012s, I am guessing from ripe skins but hard to pinpoint the source of something like that more than speculatively.

As William said, production is actually much lower.

You’re right in your comment about Chardonnay being a tad weaker. In fact, a few of the producers in the cote de blanc prefer Chardonnay from 2013.

That said, I expect the blends from 2012 will be exquisite, particularly at the top end.

Very helpful William. Thanks!

With all of the accolades with the 2002 vintage, I don’t remember hearing at the time of release about concerns with some of the Chardonnay produced. Are there similar concerns with some of the Chardonnay from 2008 and/or 2012?

I haven’t tasted extensively but so far I would put 2008 over 2012. But I’ll certainly be buying 2012s.

I have tasted a small sampling of 2012 Champagnes (12-15 wines), and also think they are wines for the cellar. I prefer the freshness of 2008 over the statuesque form of 2012, but I would never turn down a glass from either vintage.

The very few (4 wines) 2013s I have had all impressed as well.

I thought the “year in champagne” documentary was a nice look at a few producers in ‘12

Bringing this back up, hopefully for additional input.

Yaaas! Nothing gets me excited like a good champagne thread! (seriously)

In my limited thinking, I think '12 is good for noirs but not nearly as good for blanc de blancs.

2008 and 2012 hog the spotlight, I’m interested to hear more about 2013. Terry Theise spoke really highly of it and referred to some of my favorite producers. Every bottling and '13 base NV I’ve tasted has been excellent. Chardonnay and BdBs really special. Not sure about quantities though, some growers disappeared instantly and others haven’t been the easiest to find.

'13 is probably the worst vintage of the last 15 years? At least since 2001. There were good wines made, like Clos de Maladies but for the vast majority, it was a vintage to use in non vintage blends.

Dozens of producers would dispute that, especially those that produce BdB. It’s way better than 03, 05, 07, 10, 11… and as good for BdB or better than many other years.

I like '13.

Ummm…I’m not sure that’s close to right. WA rated 2013 a 95, and 2012 a 96, so???

I’ve found a # of 2013s I have liked. Marie Courtin Effloresence, Vilmart GCdO and Remi-Leroy BdB are examples.