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? The secret recipe of Oeufs en Meurette
June 18, 2020
by Justine Puaud
My husband Martin is from Burgundy. As a child, he spent every single weekend in the kitchen with his grandmother Françoise. She was a fantastic cook and loved teaching him the basics of French cuisine. Oeufs en meurette is his “Proust’s madeleines”.
The secret is to add a little bit a crème fraîche which makes the sauce smooth and delicious.
Ingredients:
4 ounces slab bacon (115g), cut into small bits
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bottle of pinot noir
2 spoons of crème fraîche
Flour
Thyme
Bay leaves
10 slices of soft bread
Butter
4 eggs
6 oz mushrooms
Flat parsley, chopped
Sauce
Brown the bacon, onions and garlic in a pan
Add some salt, pepper and Espelette pepper
Add flour and cook for about 3-4min while mixing
Add wine
Add 2-3 bay leaves and some thyme leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce has reduced by about half
Add 2 spoons of crème fraîche. The sauce will gradually become smooth and creamy
Mushrooms
Sauté the mushrooms separately
Soft-boiled egg
Boil a big volume of water in a pot
Add the eggs and cook for 6 minutes
Remove the pan from the heat and set it in the sink of cold water to stop the cooking
Gently peel the eggs
Homemade croutons
Cut the slices of soft bread into some pieces
In a pan, fry the bread with butter and garlic until it gets brownish
The dish
For each person, place in a deep dish: one egg, the sauce, mushrooms, croutons and parsley
Enjoy!
Justine