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
11/3/23
Edouard Bourgeois
November 3, 2023
I thought it would be timely with La Tablee approaching to share this old picture from my phone. It was taken in 2014 in NYC and this was my first time tasting a bottle from Domaine Pierre Gonon. I vividly remember being blown away by this “simple” vin de pays. Les Iles Feray is a gem, produced from flatter vineyards at the bottom of the slope (between the Route Nationale and the Rhône) and young-vine fruit from hillside vineyards. Although the domaine is known for using a generous amount of whole cluster for the Saint Joseph, Iles Feray is made with mostly destemmed Syrah (50-80%, depending on the vintage). I made it a mission to find wines from Gonon ever since that very first bottle and I was of course amazed when I first tasted the Saint Joseph.
We recently hosted a Pressoir dinner pouring wines exclusively from the domaine and every single vintage was better than the previous one. A rarely seen consistency. I was also fortunate to visit the small domaine in Mauves and Jean, who runs the estate with his brother Pierre, was an extremely gracious host.
I have been wondering why their wines are so good. Is it the massale selection of his Syrah and Serine? The low yields? As often, I think the answer is in the acute feeling the producer gets when farming and making the wine. Jean was explaining for example that there are many manual tasks he and his brother do in the vineyard that are simply skipped over at other domaines. The échalas method is one of them, with a single stake per vine. Less and less people are capable of working that way as this practice requires much labor.
Don’t forget to watch Jean Gonon’s interview from our At Home Session we taped in May 2020. You can find the video on our website
Gonon Dinner at Houseman
Gonon Dinner
by Edouard
2/10/22
February 8, 2022
by Edouard Bourgeois
Finding the wines of Jean Gonon can easily become a real mission, as sommeliers and a few savvy wine geeks hunt down anything Gonon. Although these bottles are typically not common, classic American wine collectors typically fill their cellar shelves with famous Bordeaux chateaux, well-known Burgundies along with cult Napa Cabs. Even within its own region of the Northern Rhône Valley, Domaine Pierre Gonon, located in Mauves, remains a hidden gem that produces the humble Saint-Joseph appellation. A growing number of Syrah lovers are falling in love with these intensely perfumed wines. The appellation has been subject to criticism since 1971, when the National Institute of Appellation d’Origine (INAO) decided to extend the appellation borders all the way north by Côte-Rôtie, resulting in a very uneven quality among the wines produced under the name Saint-Joseph. The heart of Saint-Joseph, which has been the historic area of the appellation, is where the Gonon family has been making wine since 1956. Their privileged location sits on top of a precious granitic bedrock and vineyards are planted on terraced hillsides, providing excellent exposure, airflow, and drainage. Chez Gonon, everything is done by hand and with extreme care. The domaine has been organic since 2004 and certified in 2013. One of the characteristics of the domaine is the generous inclusion of whole clusters during the fermentation process. I find that Northern Syrah can sometimes be too robust for my taste, with burnt aromas and a slight bitterness. I have never felt that way about any of the wines made by Jean Gonon. Their signature is a delicate but generous perfume of violets, barbeque smoke and olive tapenade with a discreet hint of black pepper. What also amazes me is how delicious the wines are whether young or old.
Speaking of age, on Tuesday at restaurant Houseman, we opened no less than 11 vintages of Saint-Joseph rouge and 2 white Saint Joseph from the lieux dit “Les Oliviers”.
Saint-Joseph makes a small proportion of white wine from Marsanne and Roussanne. Unsurprisingly, Gonon’s version is superb. Concentrated wines with typical herbaceous aromatics and a waxy texture, driven by rather low acidity and a mineral finish.
The youngest red wine, a 2018, was impressive, bright and juicy. As we tasted older wines, subtle nuances defined each vintage while keeping the unmistakable signature of Gonon. Surprisingly, the 2012 appeared to be clearly more advanced, entering another phase of its age with intriguing but superb tertiary aromas of tree moss and forest floor. 2009 and 2010, heralded for their greatness in the region, were more concentrated and powerful, promising the ability to age for another decade or two, if not more. The oldest wine, a 2007, was still graceful and suave. Not a single faux pas in the lineup made for a very memorable night among friends and Syrah enthusiasts.
