Blog | Watson's Wine

Appealing aromas and delicate bubbles make Champagne become the first choice for gathering or celebrating! But when you are choosing Champagne, you may notice that some of them have a vintage on the wine label but some of them do not. Do you know what difference between Vintage and Non-vintage (NV) Champagne?

Non-Vintage (NV) Champagne

Non-Vintage (NV) Champagne is the most common type of Champagne on the market. They are blends of base wines from several years and aged for a minimum of 15 months. This can make a consistent house style each year. NV Champagne is also relatively less expensive than Vintage Champagne.

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Vintage Champagne

two glasses of champagne or wine, couple in Paris, romantic celebration of engagement or anniversary

Vintage Champagne is made from grapes of a single year, which must be aged for a minimum of 3 years. Producers will only create Vintage Champagne on special year with particularly good harvest, usually its weather has been warm and dry, especially near harvest. Therefore, Vintage Champagne is representing the style of that year, which is usually more expensive. Some Vintages have been so good such as 2002, 2004 and 2008.

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Prestige Cuvée

The producers’ best Champagnes are considered Prestige Cuvées. Prestige Cuvées are made from the finest grapes from the best locations of the vineyards. They typically aged from 5 to 8 years with more complex, elegant and intense aromas and flavors. These wines are typically very limited and very expensive. The famous Prestige Cuvées Champagnes are Dom Pérignon and Cristal from Louis Roederer.

*Although Prestige Cuvées are mainly vintage Champagnes, they can be Non-Vintage.