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
News from the Vineyard
October 13, 2020
by Justine Puaud
2020 Harvest in Sauternes and Barsac
Most of the French producers finished the harvest a month ago but we shouldn’t forget about one region in particular which is always the last one to pick the grapes. In the southwest of France, and more precisely, in Sauternes and in Barsac, winemakers started harvesting this past weekend.
As a reminder, Sauternes and Barsac are world-famous sweet wines of Bordeaux. They are made from Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by the botrytis cinerea, also known as “noble rot”.
Many Premier Cru Classé Châteaux have skipped the last few vintages because, according to the winemakers, the weather conditions were not optimal to produce a good vintage. From 2009 to 2014, Sauternes and Barsac made unforgettable wines. Each vintage was unique. Some fantastic vintages were recognized for their richness and opulence while some others are appreciated by the connoisseurs for their balance with a high acidity.
So what about 2020? Most of the winemakers in France seem really happy about this vintage, but what do the winemakers from Sauternes and Barsac have to say? The quality of the wines depends on the botrytis, which can be a capricious fungus. It can give the worst as well as the best. Sauternes and Barsac Chateaux were waiting for the botrytis to concentrate the sugars and acidity in the berries. But for that, they needed a set of climatic conditions that the 2020 vintage was slow to grant.
On average, two sortings have already been carried out. Most Châteaux launched a first sorting on the week of September 14th. They harvested some grapes at the earliest stage of botrytis - very small but of good quality. The second sorting took place the week of September 28th and the grapes were very healthy. But the harvest was not done yet. For the final sorting, everything will depend on the weather conditions to come. The beginning of October was marked by significant rain and everyone is waiting for a clearing and wind for it to dry and for the berries to concentrate.
In any case, 2020 will not be a vintage marked by a strong yield though it should be a pleasant and quality vintage.
Next time, I will share my grandmother’s recipe of foie gras to pair perfectly with a Sauternes!