However, by the time of its release, the 2004 vintage was one that was rather overlooked. Its character was deemed to be ‘diluted’ – and given the circumstances of the growing season, you can see how it could have easily been this way on paper. Adding insult to injury, the 2004 vintage had the misfortune of following the 2002, then hailed as one of the best-ever vintages. For sure, in early comparisons the 2002 was immediately impressive with its luscious, fruity appeal, and the finesse but relative shyness of the 2004 struggled to compete. Therefore, it was – and still remains – neglected, with less interest from collectors and, as a result, a much more modest price development.

As the years have gone by, the 2004 Champagnes have proven their marathoner status; meanwhile many of the early-blooming 2002s are already past their peak. Having followed the vintage with increasing admiration, my expectations were sky high for Bordeaux Index’s Champagne tasting that set 24 of the vintage’s big guns side by side. And still, the vintage managed to exceed my expectations, as every single bottle shone: in pristine condition, with no wine notably past its peak. My average score just short of 96 points is a testament to that. The finest wines from 2004 have remained remarkably youthful with their pale colours, showing cool restraint and airy finesse. In absence of super-ripeness or oxidative tones, the aromatic profile of these wines helps to highlight a stylish, reductive charm and the promise of further ageing capacity.

For me, the classically polished and seamlessly perfected styles – both rosé and blanc cuvées – of Louis Roederer Cristal and Dom Pérignon occupied many of the top positions, but it was also rewarding to taste such elegant editions of some of Champagne’s most structured and vinous styles, such as Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises, Krug Vintage and Philipponnat Clos des Goisses. Perhaps the vintage didn’t reach up to the most majestic iterations for these monumental cuvées, but I was charmed by the rather joyous and vivacious examples I tasted. The magnums of Bollinger RD, Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé and Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill surely came with an extra ace up their sleeves, but I was nevertheless impressed by the two ‘mere’ vintages that entered this lineup of prestige cuvées, Laurent-Perrier Vintage and Pol Roger Vintage. These particular wines are nothing short of a bargain, but many of the prestige cuvées too could make for better purchases than the current releases – and as this tasting showed, they can stand the test of time further still.