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
Domaine de la Romanée Conti Dinner Recap
DRC dinner recap
by Edouard
10/27/22
Edouard Bourgeois
October 25, 2022
No domaine better sums up the prestige of Burgundy than Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The history of the estate is as thrilling and complex as the wines it has been producing to this day. DRC was officially founded in 1869 when its first director, Jacques-Marie Duvault Blochet, bought the vineyard of Romanée-Conti. More vineyards were purchased and added to the domaine’s holdings during the 19th and 20th century. Today, unlike many other prestigious domaines, DRC is a sizeable operation and the largest owner of each of the red wine Grands Crus it produces.
It was a real treat to open twelve different wines from the domaine at Gabriel Kreuther. The chef, whose passion for wine is truly inspiring (he explained to me he started collecting wine at age 14 after his uncle gave him a taste of Hospices de Beaune 1959) prepared a glorious menu to match the incredible wines.
1st flight: Romanée Saint Vivant 1991/2001
DRC owns 5.29 ha out of the total 9.44 ha of the appellation Romanée Saint Vivant.
The vineyard of RSV was acquired fully by DRC in 1988 after being farmed by the domaine since 1966. Known for its generous layer of clay, around 3 feet thick, and flat surface, the wines made there often provide a seductive bouquet of fruits. The 1991 was unfortunately a tad oxidized and didn’t show its full potential but the 2001 delivered what one would expect from the appellation. I thought the whole cluster aromatic signature was quite pronounced, and to my liking.
2nd flight: Richebourg 1999/2001
DRC owns 3,5 ha out of the total 8 ha of the appellation of Richebourg.
Described as the “body guard” for the other appellations by Aubert de Villaine himself, Richebourg is indeed a wide shouldered, authoritative wine. Replanted after the phylloxera crisis with cuttings from the prestigious vineyard of Romanée-Conti, Richebourg is not all about muscles of course. 2001, a cold year that produced small berries “millerandée” made concentrated wine with deep color. The Richebourg 2001 seemed still in its adolescent years and can use many more years to fully express its potential. Let’s try again in the 2030’s… The 1999 delivered more fruit but certainly embraced its reputation of being a bold wine.
3rd flight: La Tâche 1991/2000
DRC owns the entirety of the appellation: 6,06 ha.
Today a monopole of DRC, the complex ownership history of La Tâche is full of twists and turns. The appellation is divided into several plots that were gradually acquired by DRC, the most important being “Les Gaudichots”, purchased by Jacques-Marie Duvault Blochet in the 1860’s. A major turn in the history of the vineyard was the acquisition, in 1933 of the missing plot, owned by the Liger-Belair family since 1833.
Although La Tâche is often considered the second best wine at DRC, after the obvious Romanée-Conti, and the price of each wine reflects that hierarchy, La Tâche often performs better than Romanée-Conti, being more flamboyant and impressive. La Tâche 2000 expressed this bursting personality perfectly. This was probably the wine of the night. I can think of a dozen adjectives to describe my experience tasting this wine. Perfect and sumptuous probably are the most accurate I can think of. The length of the wine was among the longest I have ever experienced in a wine.
In comparison, the 1991 was a bit more discreet - nonetheless it was grandiose and pure.
4th flight: Horizontal of 1990: Romanée Saint Vivant, La Tâche, Grands Echezeaux and Richebourg
Romanée Saint-Vivant 1990 was my favorite of the flight. Seductive bouquet so characteristic of the appellation and with over a decade of age, developed wide range of captivating aromas.
La Tâche 1990 commanded very high expectations but the wine turned out to be a bit shy. I haven’t had a chance to taste it after it opened up.
Grands Echezeaux 1990 had a deliciously sweet core and personality that almost reminded me of a Musigny.
Richebourg 1990 was superb. Once again a touch vegetal from the use of whole cluster but with pitch perfect balance and irresistible aromas of flowers and succulent ripe red fruits.
5th flight: Montrachet 2003/1979
DRC owns 0,67 ha out of the total 8 ha of the appellation. The Montrachet Grand Cru is arguably the most prestigious and valuable vineyard for white Burgundy. What is quite uncommon is its location, almost equally divided between the two neighbor communes of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. DRC is the 5th largest owner in Montrachet with three different plots, all in Chassagne-Montrachet, with one touching the Puligny-Montrachet border. The different plots were planted in the early 1960’s and 1980. DRC is famous for picking its Chardonnay in Montrachet rather late. In the very unique 2003 vintage, marked by historic heatwaves, I was surprised with the intense freshness of the wine. I would typically expect the jammy, cooked fruit aromas often associated with the vintage but not here. Sure, the wine was massive and abundant with volume but the length and intense minerality confirmed the exquisite nature of the terroir of Montrachet. This bottle wowed everyone around the table.
Unfortunately, the 1979 was marked by a hint of TCA. Despite that cork taint that altered the experience, one could “see” the beauty and complexity of what should have been a decadent bottle.
