1995 v. 1996 Champagne Tasting: The Report
Katherine Fisher, Bordeaux Index
3 October 2025
On Wednesday evening, we hosted a special 1995 v. 1996 Champagne tasting, bringing clients, wine writers and producers together to revisit two landmark years. Katherine, our Champagne Buyer, talks us through the tasting.
“Such a glorious pair of champagne vintages does not come along often, and very rarely consecutively. But they are very different and even within the champagne business, perhaps particularly within the champagne business, there is much disagreement about their relative merits.” – Jancis Robinson MW on the 1995 and 1996 vintages in Champagne
The idea for this tasting was sparked by conversations with winemakers, wine writers, and a number of our private clients. Several had recently opened bottles from 1995 and been thoroughly impressed, yet it’s a vintage that surfaces only occasionally and rarely receives the same airtime as its more famous neighbour, the 1996.
The 1996 vintage, of course, scarcely requires introduction. It has long been regarded as the first of Champagne’s modern “legendary” vintages: a long-distance runner, capable of ageing gracefully for decades, routinely mentioned in the same breath as 2002, 2008, and 2012. It also marked the point at which Champagne began to be taken seriously as a collectable. Until around 15 years ago, Champagne was not widely purchased with investment in mind, but 1996 was the first vintage that collectors deliberately laid down.
A tasting that sets these two vintages side by side hasn’t been attempted in quite some time. Jancis Robinson MW wrote memorably about a “Champagne shoot-out – 95 v 96” back in 2004, but that was over 20 years ago now, and Essi Avellan MW writes in her vintage guide that “1995 has turned out to be much better than first expected and it has emerged from the shadow of the much-hyped 1996.” Which begs the question: nearly three decades on, which vintage has best stood the test of time?
Part of the answer lies in simple availability. There are far more 1996s in circulation than 1995s. After a run of poor harvests in the early 1990s, 1995 was the first year widely considered good enough for vintage production since 1990. Many clients purchased a case or two of prestige cuvées and, given the relative shortage of Champagne, drank them. The growing season was described as classic, though not without challenges: a warm, wet spring demanded rigorous vineyard selection to combat rot and mildew. Harvest began in mid-September and was plentiful, yielding wines with a pleasing balance of sugar and acidity, albeit with relatively low alcohol (average figures were 9.5% ABV and 9g/l total acidity). On release, the wines were generous, fruit-forward, and immediately appealing, and as Richard Juhlin recalls, “they were dismissed by some as daylilies”. With so few vintage releases in the preceding years, bottles were opened young and consumers tucked in.
The 1996s, by contrast, were greeted with fanfare. Lauded as a five-star vintage, it was hailed as the first since 1928 to deliver such a rare combination of soaring acidity and ripe fruit. Yields were equally abundant, but the growing season could not have been more different: flowering was troubled, and the weather oscillated wildly between warm, cool and rainy spells which gave higher alcohol levels. Cool nights leading up to harvest kept acidities very high and strong winds dehydrated the berries resulting in supercharged concentration. Average alcohol levels reached nearly 10% and the average acidity was 10g/l. Collectors took notice and, while most of the 1995s were drunk, the 1996s were laid down in earnest, hence their continued presence on the secondary market today.
But the questions remain: has 1996 truly lived up to its billing, or are those acidities ultimately a little too high? And does 1995, long in its shadow, deserve a reassessment? Nearly 30 years on, we set out to find out.
While we provided some of the bottles on show (coming from good provenance or longstanding cellars), I would like to thank all the Maisons who supported us with this ambitious tasting and so generously donated bottles from their cellar: Taittinger, Ayala, Bollinger, Philipponnat, Charles Heidsieck, Krug and also to Maisons, Marques et Domaines who supported us in sourcing some Cristal. Providing samples from such mature vintages is no small ask and this tasting would not have been possible without their generosity.
Our thoughts
This was a fascinating tasting, showcasing two truly beautiful vintages. We considered tasting the wines blind, but in the end, it would have been unnecessary as, for the most part, the 1995s and 1996s were so clearly defined by their respective vintage characteristics.
The best 1995s were more inviting on the day: forward, generous, and sumptuous, with toasty, aromatic fruit. Some may be approaching or just past their peak, occasionally lacking a touch of tension thirty years on. Understandably, the late-disgorged 1995s were holding up superbly, offering fantastic complexity, freshness, and vibrancy, with some truly thrilling examples.
The 1996s showcased the vintage’s signature steely, zesty acidity. At times, this acidity could feel pronounced and slightly disjointed, but where the wines retained enough concentration, it signalled more things to come over the coming years.
The wines
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1995
The 1995 Comtes de Champagne was firing on all cylinders last night: sumptuous, layered and utterly seductive. With nicely mellowed notes of candied orange and ginger, with inviting butterscotch and hazelnut. Striking a great balance of aromatic richness, freshness and creamy intensity, this is in a brilliant spot.
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1996
Another star of the evening, the 1996 Comtes shone with that incredible seam of crystalline, zesty acidity that defines the vintage, keeping it taut, nervy and alive nearly 30 years on. Layers of minerals, spice, chalk and crushed oyster shell bring precision and energy to the soft, toasty fruit, landing on a rich, sumptuous finish. Undoubtedly in a great place but would be intrigued to follow it for a few more years yet…
Pommery Cuvee Louise 1995 in magnum
Tragically, the magnum of 1995 Cuvée Louise opened at our tasting was corked… devastating, as it was clear from what lay beneath that this would have been seriously impressive, with remarkable life and energy still ahead of it..
Pommery Royal Grand Cru Brut Millesime 1996
Pommery’s 1996 Royal Grand Cru is a salty, lean and mineral-driven Champagne, taut with nervosity. It shows a tensile, chalky structure, lifted by steely acidity, delicate spice, and finishing with impressive length. Good poise.
Cristal 1995
Both the 1995 and 1996s were made in the style of Cristals of past, a more oxidative style when the Maison used to age the liquers in foudres. A deeper colour, the 1995 is a little more forward than the 1996 and is all sumptuous nougat, caramel and hazelnuts with toasted brioche, orange peel, clove and cinnamon. The palate is broad but still energised. If you like old-school Cristal, you’ll absolutely love both of these.
Cristal 1996
Similarly rich on the nose as the 1995, with incredible aromas of walnuts, espresso, clove and toasted pastry but with perhaps some more clarity of golden candied fruit and burnt orange. There’s more lift and brightness thanks to the steely 1996 acidity that enlivens the palate. This is immensely powerful, monumental, aged Cristal.
1995 Ayala Perle
This was a special one-off bottling, prepared by Ayala’s cellar master especially for the tasting – and a historic one too, as 1995 was the very first vintage of Ayala’s ‘Perle’ cuvée. Disgorged in 2024, it showed beautifully, with a delicate, floral character lifted by a briny, iodine edge. The palate combined pretty fruit with a gentle creaminess, touched by smoky, oyster-shell reduction, and finishing long, mineral and precise.
1996 Ayala Perle
The 1996 Perle was also a special bottling for this tasting and disgorged last year. It showed a slightly more exuberant nose than the 1995, with a smoky lift and bright energy. Made without oak, this cuvée is all about purity – a blend of 80% Grand Cru Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. On the palate it carried more weight and texture than the 1995, with added oomph and depth, while still retaining a vivid, crystalline freshness.
Krug Vintage 1995
So indelibly Krug: layers of rich, toasty brioche and crème brûlée wrapped around quince, dried apricot, candied orange peel, hazelnut and pot-pourri. There is plenty of aromatic intensity and generosity, though perhaps missing just a touch of tension, as seems to be the case with a number of ’95s.
Krug Vintage 1996
A true child of the 1996 vintage, this is built on towering acidity, providing immense structure and driving tension to the crystalline, beautifully pure citrus fruit such as lemon, lime and blood orange rind. Toasty, smoky, spiced with profound concentration and an electric energy, the finish is marked by a bracing, mouthwatering freshness.
Krug Collection 1995
Rich, ripe and rounded, the later-disgorged (2021) Krug Collection 1995 brims with quince, crystallised ginger, marzipan and roasted nuts. Intensely aromatic, the palate carries a subtle waxy texture alongside ample structure. While already deeply expressive, it will benefit from a little more time in the cellar for all the components to knit fully together.
Bollinger R.D. 1995
The 1995 Bollinger R.D. we tasted last night was a special bespoke disgorgement, released directly from the Bollinger cellars for the event. It showed a beautifully savoury, umami-driven character, layered with field mushroom, smoke, lime and lemon zest.
Bollinger R.D. 1996
Another bespoke disgorgement prepared specifically for this event and disgorged earlier this year, the 1996 showed beautifully, with that freshly disgorged smoky, gunflint lift, layered over a chalky texture, ginger spice and marmalade richness.
Salon Clos Mesnil 1996
If we had tasted this blind, we would never have guessed the vintage, it feels more like something from the 2000s. Still a baby the ’96 Salon is only just beginning to reveal itself. At its core lies that crystalline acidity which drives the wine’s immense power and precision, wrapped around layer upon layer of pure, pristine fruit, white flowers, candied lemon and marzipan. The energy is electric, a breathtaking example of Salon’s timeless magic.
Philipponnat Clos des Goisses L.V. 1995
The Clos des Goisses L.V. 1995 (disgorged in 2020) was showing superbly yesterday, with a wonderfully complex nose of crushed oyster shell, dried flowers, field mushroom, orchard fruit and hazelnut. On the palate, it was among the most taut and tense of the 1995s, with an amazing straightforwardness and directness. The finish was long, powerful and intense, delivering both energy and finesse. Delightful.
Philipponnat Clos des Goisses L.V. 1996
Charles Philipponnat has worked wonders with his late-disgorged releases. The 1996 (disgorged in 2022) is a Champagne of remarkable umami richness, carried on a taut, mineral-driven palate, with bursts of juicy yellow fruit full of life. At once weighty and weightless, it is a wine that only a magician like Charles could conjure.
Charles Heidsieck La Collection Crayeres 1995
Among the most impressive pairings of the tasting, the 1995 La Collection Crayères (disgorged 2021) showed richness, umami depth and a smoky edge. Ripe, rounded and full, this was a generous, opulent expression of the vintage, with layers of savoury complexity balanced by Charles Heidsieck’s hallmark freshness.
Charles Heidsieck La Collection Crayeres 1996
The 1996 (also disgorged in 2021) was the perfect foil, delivering all the quivering tension and nervous energy that define the vintage. Bursting with lemony brightness and bracing acidity, it carried notes of reduction, oyster shell and smoke, all underpinned by a thrilling, gleaming freshness. A beautiful, electric expression.
Duval Leroy La Femme de Champagne 1995
The 1995 La Femme de Champagne offered ripe, golden orchard fruits, with notes of quince, apricot and candied peel, layered with roasted nuts, toast and gentle spice. It feels a little tired and lacks some of the freshness and complexity found in the best examples from the 1995 vintage.
Pol Roger Winston Churchill 1996
Unfortunately, this bottle was very corked.
Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame 1996
The 1996 La Grande Dame is juicy, rich and ripe, with a pithy texture and bold, toasty notes. The steely acidity of the vintage provides balance, carrying rich red fruit and a savoury, umami-driven character. A wine that is holding up beautifully, showing both energy and maturity.
Dom Pérignon Rosé 1996
From magnum, the 1996 Dom Pérignon Rosé was big, rich, ripe and round, with layers of savoury, smoky and toasty complexity surrounding a core of mature red fruit. It intrigued us with the way it evolved although the finish carried a touch of astringency.