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
Climate, the Latest Challenge for Burgundy
June 30, 2020
by Edouard Bourgeois
(inspired by an original article from Wine Searcher)
June 30th, 2020
By Edouard Bourgeois
(inspired by an original article from Wine Searcher)
Once again, this year, many European vineyards are being scorched by high temperatures. In a conversation with winemaker Mathieu Lapierre of Beaujolais (who also did a great Pressoir.wine At Home Session with us!) he was telling me that if the weather patterns continue on the same schedule, he will be done harvesting by September. One month early!
The veracity of the terroir and its classification based on geographical traits (altitude, slope, location) is starting to be questioned among wine professionals. Is terroir immutable?
In some areas, some audacious changes have been made, such as in Bordeaux where it is, since 2019, legal for winemakers to blend Marselan and Touriga Nacional (the main varietal of Port!) into their Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Superieur AOC. On the other hand, Burgundy, famous for its thousand-year-old, monasterial hierarchy of “climats” seems really set in stone. But with temperatures rising across the region, many fear the historically warmer Grands Cru sites are going to start producing California style Pinot Noirs. In fact, two Burgundy growers hinted (maybe jokingly) that they were going to do some experiments with Syrah. Ironically, vineyards higher up in altitude like Bourgogne Hautes Cote de Nuits, long considered to be too cold, are enjoying better ripening temperatures and indeed just got “cooler”.