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

Edouard Bourgeois 2/4/21 Edouard Bourgeois 2/4/21

What's Pressoir Cooking?

by Edouard

2/4/2021

Making Boeuf Bourguignon, in Burgundy!

Whenever I go visit my favorite producers in Burgundy, I make a pilgrimage to restaurant “Ma Cuisine” in Beaune to taste the famous regional “Boeuf Bourguignon”, a stewed dish made with a rich Burgundy wine sauce. This year, since all the restaurants were closed, Raj and I were delighted to taste Daniel’s (yes, Johnnes) interpretation of this superb, classic dish.

Although it is a countryside, somewhat rustic dish, details do matter, starting with the choice of meat.

Meat that has lots of collagen in it starts off tough (as it tends to come from the strongest parts of an animal's body) but, as it cooks, it very slowly transforms into meltingly soft and moist gelatin. It's that gelatin that makes the meat still seem moist even after the muscle fibers have inevitably dried out from long cooking.

A boneless chuck roll, which comes from the cow's incredibly strong shoulder, is perfect for stewing.

Of course, the wine you use matters too. Even though you may think the rich sauce will benefit from a powerful wine, it is actually the acidity in the wine that provides brightness to the dish. In our case, Bourgogne Passetoutgrain, a delicate fruity Burgundy made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay really did the trick.

And for an added tip, add a touch of powdered cocoa powder for extra depth in the sauce…

Bon appétit, et santé!