Champagne 2002: Six Cellar Bottles Assessed After 24 Years

What happened

Wine Industry Advisor has published a video tasting of six Champagne 2002 cuvées, each drawn directly from the publication's own cellar. Released on 28 April 2026, the tasting places these bottles at 24 years of age — a significant moment at which to take stock of their development. The format is video, allowing viewers to follow the assessment in real time rather than through written notes alone.

Why it matters

Champagne 2002 is widely regarded as one of the greatest vintages of the modern era, and that reputation has only deepened with time. Tastings of this kind carry particular weight precisely because they are grounded in bottles that have been held under consistent cellar conditions by the taster themselves, rather than sourced at auction or from third parties. At 24 years, the wines sit well beyond the window in which most consumers would ordinarily encounter them, making this assessment a rare opportunity to understand what extended ageing has done to a vintage of this standing. The findings speak not only to the quality of 2002 but to the broader question of how long the finest Champagnes can — and should — be kept.

Context

The 2002 vintage in Champagne has long occupied a special place in the canon of modern sparkling wine. Recognised for its combination of ripeness and structure, it produced cuvées that were celebrated on release and have continued to attract attention as they have aged. Tastings conducted at the two-decade mark are uncommon, and those drawing on a single, consistently managed cellar are rarer still. Wine Industry Advisor's decision to open six bottles simultaneously and present the results in video form offers a degree of transparency that written retrospectives cannot always match. For collectors and enthusiasts with remaining bottles, this tasting provides a timely reference point.