Poll: What is the average age you drink your Vintage Champagne at?

WINE TALK
1

What is the average age you drink your Vintage Champagne at?

  • 5-9 years after vintage
  • 10-14 years after vintage
  • 15-19 years after vintage
  • 20-24 years after vintage
  • 25-29 years after vintage
  • 30+ years after vintage

0 voters

The following is a list I’ve compiled from memory of my past year’s vintage Champagne consumption. I acknowledge this list isn’t 100% accurate, though it is quite close.

'05 - 1 btl
'02 - 3 btls, 2 producers
'00 - 1 btl
'99 - 2 btl, 2 producers
'98 - 2 btls
'97 - 1 btl
'96 - 1 btl
'95 - 7 btls, 6 producers
'93 - 4 btls, 2 producers
'90 - 1 btl
'89 - 1 btl
'88 - 4 btl, 2 producers
'81 - 1 btl
'79 - 1 btl
'73 - 1 btl

After dividing those 61,799 years by the 31 bottles I consumed last year, I found my average vintage was just shy of 20 years at 1993.5

2

Depends on the producer…

3

but your median bottle is even younger than that–18 years.

4

Lately, the majority of vintage champagnes I’ve consumed have been 1996 - 2002. I need to box up my really good bottles and take them to my off site storage. I’m more apt to kill a younger bottle of champagne than a similar quality bottle of red.

5

I went with 10-14 because that is reality in the trade and being part of a Champagne bar. Would love for the reality to be 15-19 with the majority. That said, much older Champagne can be sweet magic.

6

Very difficult to source, but Champagnes from 60’s and 70’s are worth seeking out. Particularly but not exclusively Dom originals.

7

This year its 59, the next 60.

8

All ages - it depends on the producer and vintage. Just like other wines they offer different experiences at different ages.

9

funny. I’m drinking mine at 58 this year.
alan

10

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I tend to be doing a year younger than you.

11

The results so far are pretty much as I expected. However, I think accessibility may have as much or more impact on the results as preference.

12

I would prefer to drink my Champagne after the 20 year mark, but the reality of not having a terribly deep cellar means it’s closer to 12-15 years.