1996 in champagne. what happened?
by Edouard Bourgeois
November 21, 2025
Ratings for 1996 often use words like "exceptional" and "grandiose," with some comparisons to 1928. What made 1996 objectively unique was the high average potential alcohol (10.3%) combined with high total acidity (10g/litre)—figures rarely seen together. As Charles Philipponnat noted, this is a significant jump from the 9.3% potential alcohol common forty years prior.
Acidity and potential alcohol work together for balance, but typically, when one is high, the other is low. In 1996, both figures were high. Bruno Paillard called it a 'naughty boy' vintage due to its unpredictable nature and the anxiety it caused producers while waiting for acidity levels to drop. However, the result for those with patience is "fantastic."
While acidity is key for aging, the true test is time. Over two decades later, the remaining 1996 bottles reveal which producers succeeded. The best examples are still complex and alluring, where the high acidity is balanced by a wide range of aromas, from brioche to stone fruit. Unfortunately, some other bottlings show only residual acidity, resulting in unbalanced and tart wines.
I recall opening a glorious bottle of 1996 Cristal for my son's birth seven years ago; the wine was still vibrant and charged.
Another fabulous example was made by Krug. As Olivier Krug said, "It’s a year where a good house or a good winemaker will make a good wine... It’s a tricky vintage." Other industry professionals have shared similar sentiments, noting that some vintners either opted out of making a vintage bottling or failed to achieve balance, resulting in wines that are already clumsy or tired.
The 1996 vintage often draws comparisons to its predecessor, 1995. These were the last two great Champagne vintages following the 1988, 1989, and 1990 trio. The 1996s are powerful wines; the best combine weight from ripeness with tension from acidity, providing the interest, complexity, and structure needed for long-term aging.
Interestingly, more houses released 1995 as a vintage Champagne than 1996, with a ratio of roughly 60% (1995) to 40% (1996).
Given its unpredictability, the safest bet for 1996 Champagne remains to go with producers you trust.
While looking for pictures of 1996 Champagne on my IPhone, I also found several other wines from various regions where the 1996 vintage truly shone, as seen in images below;jbgories
What's Pressoir Cooking?
Justine Puaud
August 10, 2022
Peach Season
Summer is the time to bake with beautiful fruits such as peaches, apricots and nectarines. I discovered Chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s cuisine a few years ago and today I recommend his lime and rosemary peach tart.
Delicious, fresh, fragrant and juicy – it is the perfect pie for summer. The peaches are marinated with rosemary, lime juice, and lime zest before being baked in puff pastry. This recipe is very easy to make. Just make sure you plan it ahead of time, as you will need to macerate the peaches for 1-2 hours before you can bake it.
Ingredients
200 g (1 packet) all-butter puff pastry
2 limes
60 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
5 large firm peaches stoned and cut into 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) slices
2 large sprigs rosemary, plus ½ tbsp picked leaves
1/4 tsp cornstarch
150 g (⅔ cups) creme fraiche
Instructions
Marinate the peaches
Cut peaches in half, remove stones, and cut 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) slices.
Peel one of the limes in 7 long strips and place strips in a large bowl. Add the sugar, the juice of one lime, the peach slices and rosemary sprigs. Stir and set aside to macerate for at least 1-2 hours.
Strain the peaches through a sieve straight into a small saucepan, and set aside the rosemary. You should end up with about 60ml (¼ cup) peach syrup. Try to leave as little juice as possible on the peaches.
Chop the rosemary you just removed from the syrup and set it aside.
Prepare the creme fraîche
Mix the grated zest and a teaspoon of sugar into the creme fraiche and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Bake
Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry just under 0.3-0.4 cm (0.1 inches) thick. Line a previously buttered 24 cm (9.5 inches) tart ring or pan with the pastry.
Arrange the strained peaches in the pastry and bake for 25 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven.
Prepare the syrup
While the tart is baking, whisk the cornstarch into the reserved peach syrup. Simmer over medium-high heat until it thickens to the consistency of honey (about two minutes), then pour over the peaches. Sprinkle the chopped rosemary leaves on top and return the galette to the oven for 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden-brown and the filling bubbly.
Serve
Remove from the oven and transfer immediately to a cooling rack. Leave to cool slightly, then zest a lime onto the tart, and serve with a bowl of the lime creme fraiche on the side.
