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’s husband cooks his famous Blanquette de Veau for the team
February 18, 2022
by Justine Puaud
The famous blanquette de veau
A traditional French veal stew
Edouard and Daniel spent this week in Burgundy visiting winemakers in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits and tasting the fantastic 2020 vintage. For their last evening in Burgundy, they came to my place and had the privilege to eat my husband’s “madeleine de Proust”* - blanquette de veau.
We were lucky to have two young winemakers with us - Camille Thiriet and Thibaud Clerget. Camille is a passionate and talented winemaker who started to make wine in a garage in 2016. She now produces fantastic red and white wines from the Côte de Nuits. Thibaud of Domaine Yvon Clerget is based in Volnay. Antonio Galloni has said “the reborn Domaine Y. Clerget could very well turn out to be one of the great recent success stories in Burgundy”, so bravo to Thibaud!
*’La madeleine de Proust’ is a French expression used to describe smells, tastes, sounds or any sensations reminding one of childhood or simply bringing back emotional memories from a long time ago.
The origin of the term “blanquette” comes from the color of the white sauce that coats the stew meat.
Ingredients for 6 people
1 liter of cooking white wine
2 lbs veal , shoulder, chest or flank, cut into large cubes
1 onion , poked with whole cloves
1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf, sage)
4 carrots , cut into large sections
1 cup dry white wine
10 oz. mushrooms , quartered
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
¾ cup creme fraiche
½ lemon , juiced
3 egg yolks
Instructions
Put the meat cubes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and add salt.
Skim regularly at the surface so that the broth becomes clear. After 20 minutes, add the onion stuck with cloves and the bouquet garni.
Simmer for another 20 minutes, then add carrots and wine.
Continue to simmer uncovered over low heat for another 45 minutes or until meat is tender. Add a little water during cooking if necessary. Remove the onion and the bouquet garni.
Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in a frying pan for 2 minutes with a knob of butter. Add salt, pepper, a ladle of broth and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Sauce (prepare a few minutes before serving).
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour while whisking over low heat for 5 minutes.
Gradually add cooking broth while whisking until a reaching a thick sauce consistency.
Add creme fraiche as well as lemon juice, and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
Take saucepan off the heat and add egg yolks. Whisk well to incorporate. Add this sauce back to the pan with the meat and vegetables. Add the mushrooms and gently stir to incorporate everything.
Immediately serve the blanquette with rice.
Wine pairing
We opened a few Pinot Noirs and finished with a Nebbiollo. 2019 is a really promising vintage. It is fresh and juicy. I really enjoyed the Chassagne Premier Cru “Clos de la Boudriotte” rouge from Domaine Ramonet. It smells of black fruit, boosted with an almost spiced note. Its fruit is pure and intense with a powerful tannic structure that firms up the finish.
What's Pressoir Cooking? Summer Cooking from Empire Farm with Chef Daniel Boulud
June 30, 2020
by Jaime Dutton
In the outdoor kitchen with Daniel Boulud and Daniel Johnnes
June 30, 2020
by Jaime Dutton
We had a great experience last week at Empire Farm in the Hudson Valley where we filmed a 3-episode series with American Express. We were introduced to the FarmOn! Foundation, an organization that works to provide educational programming at the farm, promotes independent Hudson Valley farmers and Farm to Table initiatives.
We were in the kitchen with Daniel Johnnes and Chef Daniel Boulud talking summer cooking and summer sipping wines. Daniel selected a Burgundy and a Champagne to go with each of the 3 dishes that Chef Daniel cooked.
Inspiration came in many forms but a few moments stood out!
Outdoor grilling is key during the summer months. Gas and charcoal grills are our go-to tools to keep the heat outside.
Chef Daniel was cooking pork belly which he braised in the oven and then finished on the grill. He wanted to highlight the smoky aromas in the Chablis that Daniel had selected to pair with this dish. He lit it up when he threw handfuls of hay onto the fire – super fun and added flair to impress! The final dish was delicious – the pork belly melted in your mouth and the smoky and savory flavors were a great pairing with a 2018 Chablis from Moreau-Naudet.
Another fun moment was Chef’s summer rendition on the classic French dish, Poulet à la Mère Blanc – here he brought to the dish the fresh dairy products that are so much a part of the farming culture in the Hudson Valley. Chef cut up a whole chicken. For the sauce he used about a quart of fresh cream, 6 egg yolks and about 1.5 lbs of butter. It was incredibly delicious, maybe not what you expect when you think of light summer meals, but Chef and Daniel added the element of cooking it on an open fire, cowboy style. Taking this dish outside to the fire pit, made it all about the summer. Daniel paired a rich 2017 Meursault from Domaine Vincent Latour with the chicken.
Keep a look out for this entertaining series that will be accessible to American Express Card Members later this summer. Stay tuned.
