100 BEST CHAMPAGNES 2023
THE 100 BEST CHAMPAGNES 2023 by Champagne Magazine & Tastingbook
Since 2010 the editorial team of the world’s only champagne magazine – FINE Champagne – has organised The 100 Best Champagnes of the year ranking. This year the results of the thirteenth 100 Best Champagnes ranking are launched exclusively on Tastingbook.com.
The ranking is made for the champagnes that are available on international markets during this year. The most important criterion is the quality of the wine and its accessibility today. This is reflected also in the given points, which are given according to the current status of the champagnes, not their future potential. With this approach, we want to encourage people to open those champagnes that are most enjoyable today and keep the ones that benefit from the further ageing in their cellars.
All champagnes on the top 100 list are highly recommended to drink today although many of them have still a great potential for further ageing and will presumably receive higher scores when they reach their optimum in future.
Contrary to many other wine rankings, the list of 100 best champagnes is not based on a single tasting; instead we take into account all of the tastings where we have had chance to access these champagnes this year. However, the 100 Best Champagne 2023 finals were proceeded in five separate blind tasting sessions in the spring 2023. In these sessions, there were a shortlist of 221 champagnes from which the final ranking was formed. Apart from the 100 Best Champagnes list, we have complied the top 10 lists from the best champagnes in different champagne cuvée categories.
Results
The average score of 91 points was the highest ever in the history of the 100 Best Champagnes ranking top 100 list. No wines under 90 points made it to the top 100 list. Apart from the increasing quality, we were very pleased to encounter no tainted champagnes – nor from cork taint or lumination. The quality of the tasted champagnes were more solid and consistent than ever.
This year the podium was taken by the superb prestige champagnes – Dom Pérignon 2013 (98p) on top leaving Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2012 (97p) and Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2010 (96p) closely behind. The top 10 ranking was powered by the prestige champagnes with the exception of Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Collection 2006. The best non-vintage champagne title went to Taittinger Folie de la Marquetterie (94p). Taittinger also gained credit in the tasting for its off-dry Nocturne Sec with the mastering the residual sugar balance and integration.
In terms of vintages, there were various vintages presented in the finals from 2002 to 2016. Overall, the vintage champagnes from 2013 convinced that the vintage yielded some really appealing ready to drink champagnes that will obviously deliver even more in next few years but are so delicious already now. The champagnes from the super vintage 2008, like Billecart-Salmon, are showing little by little their greatness but the most champagnes from this vintage are still nowhere near their peak yet. While 2008 is still leaving us with great promise, another cherished top vintage 2012 is starting to redeem it. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne is the best example of this. The third podium champagne, the super solid Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2010 is superb already, but has the biggest potential to stand out as the 100 point champagne in the future once it reaches its peak.
