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
6/9/21
June 9, 2021
by Edouard Bourgeois
Domaine de l’Arlot Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru 1993
Recently at Chef Daniel Boulud’s newest Manhattan restaurant, Le Pavillon, I tasted this glorious red Burgundy from Domaine de l’Arlot. This 1993 was made by the well respected Jean-Pierre de Smet, whose winemaking career inspires many in the field.
The domaine's recent history remains marked by his influence. Jean-Pierre ran the domaine for almost two decades. In January 2007, he handed over the direction of the domaine to Christian Seely, who entrusted technical management first to Olivier Leriche, then to Jacques Devauges in August 2011, and later to Géraldine Godot in September 2014.
The celebrated Grand Cru of Romanée-St-Vivant is one of the top vineyards in the world for Pinot Noir. Founded in 1098, the Abbey of Citeaux has made a lengthy contribution to the extension of vines in Burgundy. The monks of Saint-Vivant de Vergy were very much involved in this, so much so that this vineyard in the Côte de Nuits was named after them.
The first vintage of this wine to be produced by Domaine de l'Arlot was 1991.
1993 can be a tricky vintage for red Burgundy, typically marked by strong acidity which can translate to firmness and austerity. However this bottle was not showing that character. Instead, black fruits and just a touch of forest floor aromas defined this incredibly fresh and vivid wine. I would not have guessed that it was an almost 30 year old bottle. Great length and a salivating tension made for a delightful tasting experience.
