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
Looking back at La Paulée Mondiale 2021
Recap of La Paulée Mondiale
3-24-21
Wednesday, March 24, 2020
Thank you to everyone that tuned in from your home to join us at La Paulée Mondiale 2021. With the different seminars and the self-guided Grand Tasting, we were grateful to be able to offer you a virtual version of the festival and we are thankful for your incredible support in what we do. Zachys has curated an impressive selection of wines from the participating producers, and we do want to remind you that some of these “packs” are still available here. Moreover, you still have until August 30 2021 to purchase your tickets to the virtual Grand Tasting and access hours of exclusive videos featuring over fifty producers!
We wanted to share with you some of our favorite moments of the live seminars from the festival.
We started with an informative seminar led by Raj and Charles Antin of Zachys, also featuring special guest, collector Ian Mill QC. How to buy and consign wine may seem complicated or worrisome for the first timers but the three gentlemen impeccably guided us through this fascinating world of wine auctions.
We then embarked on our Burgundy journey starting with an in-depth study of the grands Crus of Chablis. Rare footage including an epic description of “Les Preuses” by the one and only Vincent Dauvissat or the geological explanations by expert Guillaume Morvan were certainly the highlights of this event.
Our friend William Kelley moderated an excellent seminar dedicated to the famous Clos-st-Jacques. We were also honored by the presence of Jean-Marie Fourrier and Thibault Gagey who offered valuable insights on this beautiful climat. It is impossible to imagine what else could have been added about Clos-st-Jacques as William certainly covered that topic thoroughly.
The wines of “Les Amoureuses” hold a special place in many people’s hearts. Tasting this splendid wine is one thing, but when legendary vignerons speak about this terroir, it creates unforgettable memories. Veronique Drouhin, Christophe Roumier and even Frederic Mugnier (who surprised us all by joining live) guided us through the picturesque vineyard, bathed in the pure sunlight of a crisp January. It was particularly eye-opening to realize how diversified the vineyard of “les Amoureuses” is, from plots on flat land near the “Petits Vougeot” to sections flirting with the first vines of the noble grand cru of “Musigny”.
We were glad to receive much positive feedback on the “Passing the Baton” event dedicated to the new generation of Burgundy producers. This seminar certainly shone a light on the many challenges and responsibilities that come with taking over such a complete métier while keeping the legacy of a historical family domaine. The five producers featured all offered honest insights on the complex financial landscape of Burgundy when it comes to inheritance. Their approaches on a changing climate were the perfect introduction to the seminar of the next day. Farming in these new weather patterns was one of the many captivating topics discussed on Friday. Best sommelier of France and Meilleur Ouvrier de France Pascaline Lepeltier led breath-taking discussion with Raj that could have certainly lasted for another two hours. Pascaline’s deep knowledge combined with inspiring interviews of vignerons such as Pierre and Anne Morey but also young, passionate growers like Tomoko Kuriyama-Bott made for a memorable recording.
On Saturday, we felt incredibly grateful to present a seminar with Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and Guillaume d’Angerville of Domaine Marquis d’Angerville. The two gentlemen spoke about the vineyards of the celebrated “La Tache” and “Clos des Ducs” and that special moment reminded us why these wines are so exceptional. We want to thank you for your amazing support, allowing us to donate $25,000 to the cause of the Climats de Bourgogne.
Lastly, we hope you were able to join the closing event of La Paulée with Brice de la Morandière of Domaine Leflaive. While the tale behind the name of Batard-Montrachet has been told many times, only Brice could tell that story with such wit and passion. We feel that closing the festival with the charismatic personality of Brice and a fantastic glass of Batard was the perfect ending for this La Paulée.
All the recordings of these seminars are available for purchase, please contact Justine with inquiries.