1996 Wine

Vintage 1996: a contrasting year, powerful and built for long ageing

The 1996 vintage remains a benchmark for lovers of great French wines and collectors. The year was marked by a complex but ultimately favourable climate for late-ripening grape varieties. After a mild spring, the summer alternated between hot periods and rainy spells, sometimes sources of heterogeneity. But September, dry and bright, allowed a slow and complete ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, enabling the production of 1996 wines of great class. This combination produced structured, deep 1996 red wines with balancing acidity, 1996 white wines of exceptional tension and refined sweet wines.

Today, the 1996 wine impresses with its longevity. The great 1996 Bordeaux remain majestic, the 1996 red Burgundy wines express classic refinement, the whites (Burgundy and Chablis) are superb in their purity, the 1996 Champagne is legendary and the 1996 Loire wines offer chenins and sweet wines of very long ageing potential. For the enthusiast, it is a reliable vintage to buy a 1996 wine at maturity whilst still retaining ageing potential.

Bordeaux 1996: sovereign Cabernets and masterful balance

The 1996 vintage in Bordeaux was marked by a contrasting summer followed by a dry and sunny September which allowed the Cabernet Sauvignon to reach exceptional ripeness, especially on the Left Bank. The 1996 red wines are dense, precise and built for long ageing, with deep black fruit, fine tannins and an acidity that supports freshness. The 1996 Pauillac impress with their refined power and aromatic intensity, the 1996 Saint-Julien are elegant and structured, whilst 1996 Margaux seduces with its silky refinement. The 1996 Saint-Estèphe display density and longevity. On the Right Bank, the 1996 Saint-Émilion reveal fleshy Merlots but are generally more irregular. The dry whites from 1996 Pessac-Léognan are splendid, balanced and full. The 1996 Sauternes, thanks to late but fine botrytis, are rich and fragrant.

Iconic Bordeaux wines from 1996:

Château Lafite Rothschild 1996 – Château Latour 1996 – Château Mouton Rothschild 1996 – Château Margaux 1996 – Château Palmer 1996 – Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1996 –Léoville Las Cases 1996 – Cos d'Estournel 1996 – Château Montrose 1996 – Château d'Yquem 1996 – Château Climens 1996 – Domaine de Chevalier 1996 – Château Haut-Brion blanc 1996.

Ageing potential: the great 1996 Cabernets from the Left Bank can still evolve for 10 to 20 years, whilst offering a fully developed tasting experience today; the Sauternes retain freshness and complexity.

Burgundy 1996: noble acidity, tension and exceptional refinement

In Burgundy, the long growing cycle and slow ripening allowed for healthy grapes with high natural acidity, the signature of the 1996 vintage. The 1996 red wines from the Côte de Nuits display straightness and purity, with refined tannins and great aromatic depth (black cherry, spices, undergrowth). The terroirs of Vosne-Romanée, Richebourg, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, La Tâche, Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny offer 1996 wines that are both dense and elegant.

The 1996 white wines are considered among the best of the decade: Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne combine mineral tension, volume and complexity. The 1996 Chablis impress with their cutting edge and longevity.

Iconic Burgundy wines from 1996:

Montrachet Domaine Leflaive 1996 – Corton-Charlemagne Coche-Dury 1996 – Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles Leflaive 1996 – Romanée-Saint-Vivant Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1996 – Richebourg DRC 1996 – La Tâche DRC 1996 – Chambertin Armand Rousseau 1996 – Chablis Les Clos Raveneau 1996.

Ageing potential: the great 1996 white wines remain splendid today and still capable of ageing; the reds from the best climats are reaching perfect maturity whilst retaining astonishing freshness.

Champagne 1996: the legendary year of the decade

The 1996 vintage in Champagne is legendary. A healthy harvest, remarkable ripeness and above all a rare acidity gave birth to 1996 wines with a vibrant style, intense and built for extreme ageing. The tension, richness and energy of these 1996 Champagnes make them unique and still incredibly lively after almost 30 years.

Iconic Champagne wines from 1996:

Krug Clos du Mesnil 1996 – Dom Pérignon 1996 – Salon Blanc de Blancs 1996 –Bollinger R.D. 1996 – Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1996.

Ageing potential: still masterful; the greatest 1996 champagnes can age for another 10 to 15 years whilst offering remarkable complexity today.

Rhône Valley 1996: contrasting but selective

The 1996 Rhône wines experienced a more delicate year, especially in the south with an irregular summer and late ripening. However, the best terroirs produced expressive 1996 wines. In the northern Rhône, the 1996 Côte-Rôtie and 1996 Cornas reveal themselves to be deep, spicy and robust, with a beautiful length. The 1996 Hermitage shows power and freshness. In the south, the 1996 Châteauneuf-du-Pape are supple and charming, as are certain 1996 Gigondas, which are delicious and accessible today.

Iconic Rhône wines from 1996:

Côte-Rôtie La Landonne Guigal 1996 – Côte-Rôtie La Mouline Guigal 1996 – Hermitage Jean-Louis Chave 1996 – Hermitage La Chapelle Jaboulet 1996 – Cornas Clape 1996 – Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rayas 1996 – Beaucastel 1996 – Vieux Télégraphe 1996 – Gigondas Santa Duc Prestige 1996.

Ageing potential: the great cuvées from the north can still age; the wines from the south are now at perfect maturity, charming and ready to drink.

Loire 1996: purity and great sweet wines

The Loire experienced great success, especially for Chenin. The 1996 dry whites such as Savennières, Vouvray and Montlouis combine cutting freshness and ample substance, perfect for long ageing. The October conditions allowed for superb noble rot producing exceptional sweet wines: 1996 Coteaux du Layon, 1996 Quarts de Chaume, 1996 Bonnezeaux are sumptuous today with notes of honey, candied fruits and an acidity that carries them admirably.

Iconic Loire wines from 1996:

Vouvray Le Mont Domaine Huet 1996 – Vouvray Clos du Bourg Domaine Huet 1996 – Quarts de Chaume Domaine des Baumard 1996 – Coteaux du Layon Château de Fesles 1996 – Bonnezeaux Château de Fesles 1996 - CLOS ROUGEARD Le Bourg 1996

Ageing potential: the 1996 dry chenins still show vibrancy; the sweet wines can continue their evolution serenely.

Languedoc & South-West 1996: power and authenticity

The 1996 vintage offers warm and powerful wines in the South. In Languedoc, the 1996 Coteaux du Languedoc, 1996 Minervois, 1996 Corbières as well as the 1996 Vins de Pays de l'Hérault reveal beautiful ripeness and a pronounced structure, whilst in the South-West, the 1996 Madiran are very full-bodied, perfect for lovers of wines for ageing.

Iconic wines from the South 1996:

Domaine de la Grange des Pères 1996 – DOMAINE PEYRE ROSE 1996 – Prieuré Saint-Jean de Bébian 1996 – Corbières Clos des Fées 1996 – Mas Daumas Gassac 1996 – Madiran Bouscassé Vieilles Vignes 1996.

Ageing potential: the structured reds from the South-West are still capable of evolving, whilst the great Languedoc wines are now harmonious and generous.