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?
What’s Pressoir Drinking
By Edouard
2/23/21
A comparison of two terroirs from the 2016 vintage, through the lens of Maison Louis Jadot
I have really been enjoying the 2016 red Burgundies lately. If early on the wines could show a bit of firmness, the dense structure today is no longer stealing the show and some tender flesh is finally providing the useful plush to achieve overall balance in the wine. Here, I thought the vintage was particularly well represented by these two classic climats of the Côte de Nuits. We tasted these wines last Saturday to illustrate our last Pressoir.wine At Home Session with Thibault Gagey, deputy General Manager of Maison Louis Jadot.
First, the aromatic 1er Cru “Baudes” from Chambolle-Musigny certainly didn’t disappoint. Powerful yet lacy at the same time, this vineyard shares some of the traits of character with its noble and authoritative neighbor, the Grand Cru “Bonnes-Mares”. On the other hand, the superb “Boudots”, another 1er cru, from Nuits-St-Georges this time, offered its typical aromatics of black cherry and damp dirt. This 15 acre-climat is one of the most prestigious of Nuits-St-Georges, sharing its northern border with another dreamy site, the “Aux Malconsorts” of Vosne-Romanée.
It is no secret for those who know me that Boeuf Bourguignon is a favorite of mine when it comes to drinking Red Burgundy. However, pepperoni pizza with mushroom and hot pepper worked amazingly with these two elegant but well built Pinots.
Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru Les Boudots and Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru Les Baudes, are both produced under the “Domaine Gagey” label, meaning the fruit comes from the family estate for these wines.