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 Drinking?
July 21, 2020
By Daniel Johnnes
I find summer offers the most opportunities to drink every type of wine. In winter, I feel more inclined to drink red and fuller bodied wines. In the summer I am drawn to lighter, more casual wines as well as the regular dip into the great Burgundy (red or white) or from any great wine producing region for that special holiday celebration. I feel more liberated in the summer and freer to get reacquainted with wines I don't visit as often.
This week at my beach retreat I brought a tremendous mix of Stein German Riesling from the Mosel, Russo Etna Rosato, Max Breton Beaujolais, Lafon Meursault, Roulot Auxey-Duresses, Burlotto Pelaverga from Piedmont, a Griotte Chambertin from Drouhin and more. In short, I brought a wine for every fish and meat - grilled steak with the Breton Morgon, grilled swordfish with the Griotte-Chambertin, sauteed shrimp with lemon and herbs with the Riesling, the volcanic Russo Rosato with seafood spaghetti with chili peppers and maybe the Pelaverga tonight with grilled sausage. Who knows but there are so many great wines in the market today at all prices points and flavors. Now is the time of year to take a "voyage" in more ways than one.
