1996 Champagne
When assessing the relative merits of great Champagne vintages, two recent
pairings come to mind; 1988 and 1989 on the one hand and
1995 and 1996 on the other. It is
a tale of two styles, one catholic and the other puritan, one pure and the
other flamboyant. Yet, beyond such simple analysis there is purity in the
flamboyance of 1995 and 1989 and no lack of joie de vivre in the wonderfully
constructed 1988 and 1996.
1996 goes down in the record books for unparalleled levels of both sugar and
acidity in the base wines; levels that would have been too sweet or too tart on
their own, but when harmoniously balanced, providing the perfect foundations
for superlative wines capable of lengthy ageing. Cool nights and warm days in
September provided the key to greatness here.
The 1996 are only now starting to come round, their power and breeding
harnessed with a linear grace, their elegance undisputed and evidenced in such
contrasting styles as the Taittinger Comtes de Champagne and the
Bollinger RD. A great vintage with the prospect of a fascinating and
very successful evolution with these, its finest wines.
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We found
18
products
Retail Prices - Duty & Local Tax Included
| VINTAGE | WINE | BOTTLE SIZE | PRICES | LIST SETTINGS |
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Champagne R&L Legras, Cuvée Exceptionelle, St. Vincent
France » Champagne » Brut UK Customers Only
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Bottle
(75cl) |
£ 66.45 |
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| 6 x £ 59.80 |
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Special case price
£
358.80
Buy 6 and save £ 39.90 (10%) |
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Medium-Full Bodied,
Brut,
White,
Champagne Blend,
Ready, but will keep,
12% alc.
Aptly-named, L’Exceptionelle shows the heights to which Legras can ascend, helped no doubt by old Chardonnay vines and the outstanding 1996 vintage. Pears, lemon zest and white flowers greet the nose, then the palate assumes a richly honied texture, with a satisfying mineral ... MORE | ||||
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Jacquesson Champagne
France » Champagne » Brut Limited Stock
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Bottle
(75cl) |
£ 75.00 |
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Light Bodied,
Dry,
White,
Champagne Blend,
Ready, but will keep,
Organic (Not certified/in conversion),
12% alc.
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Dom Ruinart, Blanc de Blancs
France » Champagne » Blanc de Blancs |
Bottle
(75cl) |
£ 100.15 |
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| 12 x £ 90.10 |
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Special case price
£
1081.20
Buy 12 and save £ 120.60 (10%) |
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Medium-Full Bodied,
Brut,
White,
Chardonnay,
Ready, but will keep,
12.5% alc.
Founded in 1729, Ruinart boasts the exalted title of the oldest House in Champagne. Taking its name from the founder’s uncle, Dom Thierry Ruinart (a close friend of none other than Dom Pérignon himself), Ruinart certainly still lives up to its prestigious reputation. Dom Ruinart ... MORE | ||||
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Bollinger R.D.
France » Champagne » Recently Disgorged |
Bottle
(75cl) |
£ 122.65 |
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| 12 x £ 110.35 |
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Special case price
£
1324.20
Buy 12 and save £ 147.60 (10%) |
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Full Bodied,
Brut,
White,
Champagne Blend,
Ready, but will keep,
12% alc.
Hailed as the best vintage since 1928, 1996 is ideally suited to the powerfully expressive style of RD. An attractive toasty nose, with notes of roasted nuts and summer fruit leads on to an explosion of flavour on the palate with the savoury and the sweet harmoniously harnessed followed by a ... MORE | ||||
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Champagne R&L Legras, Cuvée Exceptionelle, St. Vincent
France » Champagne » Brut Limited Stock
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Magnum
(150cl) |
£ 127.75 |
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| 6 x £ 114.95 |
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Special case price
£
689.70
Buy 6 and save £ 76.80 (10%) |
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Medium-Full Bodied,
Brut,
White,
Champagne Blend,
Ready, but will keep,
12% alc.
Aptly-named, L’Exceptionelle shows the heights to which Legras can ascend, helped no doubt by old Chardonnay vines and the outstanding 1996 vintage. Pears, lemon zest and white flowers greet the nose, then the palate assumes a richly honied texture, with a satisfying mineral ... MORE | ||||
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Veuve Clicquot, La Grande Dame
France » Champagne » Brut Limited Stock
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Bottle
(75cl) |
£ 130.00 |
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Medium-Full Bodied,
Brut,
White,
Champagne Blend,
Ready, but will keep,
12.5% alc.
Six years on lees, the 1996 Grande Dame is grande indeed. Traditionally voluptuous, the style is perfectly suited to the vintage which provides an authoritative framework within which the wine can be gloriously expressive. The blend is 65/35 in favour of Pinot Noir, the grapes being sourced from ... MORE | ||||
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Billecart-Salmon Grande Cuvee
France » Champagne » Brut |
Bottle
(75cl) |
£ 132.85 |
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| 12 x £ 119.55 |
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Special case price
£
1434.60
Buy 12 and save £ 159.60 (10%) |
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Medium Bodied,
Brut,
White,
Champagne Blend,
Ready, but will keep,
12% alc.
Made from 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, this wine certainly lives up to its name. Aged for over six years and showing all the structure and power of this magnificent vintage, the wine marries notes of honey and spring flowers on the nose with hints of marmite; the palate is broad and rich, ... MORE | ||||
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Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
France » Champagne » Brut Limited Stock
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Bottle
(70cl) |
£ 143.05 |
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Medium-Full Bodied,
Brut,
White,
Chardonnay,
Ready, but will keep,
12.5% alc.
One of the great all-Chardonnay Champagnes – its musculature expressing the power of the vintage, its elegant texture and sublime finish indicative of the quality of the fruit. | ||||
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Dom Ruinart Rosé
France » Champagne » Rosé |
Bottle
(75cl) |
£ 143.05 |
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| 12 x £ 128.75 |
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Special case price
£
1545.00
Buy 12 and save £ 171.60 (9.5%) |
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Medium-Full Bodied,
Brut,
Rose,
Pinot Noir,
Ready, but will keep,
12.5% alc.
Dom Ruinart vintage Rose is one of the most sophisticated roses in the market, a blend of Chardonnay, the signature grape of the house, with the inclusion of Pinot Noir, both from Grand Cru vineyards. The nose is bold with yeasty complexity, supple, round and harmonious palate, showing notes of ... MORE | ||||
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Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
France » Champagne » Brut Limited Stock
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Bottle
(75cl) |
£ 144.00 |
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| 12 x £ 128.74 |
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Special case price
£
1544.88
Buy 12 and save £ 183.12 (10.5%) |
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Medium-Full Bodied,
Brut,
White,
Chardonnay,
Ready, but will keep,
12% alc.
One of the great all-Chardonnay Champagnes – its musculature expressing the power of the vintage, its elegant texture and sublime finish indicative of the quality of the fruit. | ||||
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