The Oenothèque Vintage 1996 cuvée from Palmer & Co is a champagne made from a single harvest.
It is a cuvée that speaks of citrus and yellow fruit, followed by notes of brioche that the years have brought out. The texture is well balanced, neither too soft nor too sharp, with a mineral freshness that gives it a clear sense of poise.
This is a vintage champagne you can serve right from the aperitif, with cheese gougères for instance, before bringing it back to the table alongside seared scallops or a turbot with beurre blanc.
The Terroir
The Oenothèque Vintage 1996 cuvée is a blend of:
- 46% Chardonnay
- 37% Pinot Noir
- 17% Meunier
Bringing three grape varieties together allows the wine to be built from several complementary profiles rather than a single expression. Each plays a distinct role, and it is their balance that gives the whole its coherence.
On this terroir, Chardonnay brings finesse and freshness to the wine, Pinot Noir adds structure and breadth, and Meunier contributes roundness and fruit.
The Winemaking
At Palmer & Co, the blend (the marriage of wines from several grape varieties) brings together 46% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir and 17% Meunier. The wines are aged in stainless steel tanks, a vessel that adds no oaky notes and preserves the brightness of the clean fruit of each variety. This absence of oak also allows the purity of Chardonnay, the majority variety in the blend, to shine through. The wine was put down to age in the cellar in June 1997.
The dosage (the small amount of liqueur added just before final corking) is that of a Brut. This classic dosage adds a touch of roundness and balances the wine's natural vivacity, without masking what the years have built.
The 1996 Vintage
In Champagne, 1996 began with a dry, mild winter. The vines woke in mid-April, when temperatures suddenly rose, then a cold but rain-free May made them wait. In early June, warmth and sunshine favoured flowering, which took place between the 16th and the 19th. After a mixed summer, the harvest ran from 14 September to 1 October, with picking dates chosen to catch the right moment. Sugars climbed quickly, while the grapes held on to very high acidity (the quality that makes a wine lively and mouth-watering). This balance between power and freshness gives the cuvée a clear-cut vivacity, carried by a generous breadth on the palate.
