Rating93+
Release PriceNA
Drink Date2019 - 2029
Reviewed byDr. William KelleyIssue Date30th Aug 2019SourceIssue 244 End of August 2019, The Wine Advocate
Based on the 2014 vintage and disgorged with 1.5 grams per liter dosage in July 2018, Jacquesson's NV Extra Brut Cuvée No. 742 continues the house's pioneering series of cuvées that employ reserve wines not in pursuit of a constant "house style" but merely with the aim of complementing each base vintage to maximize its potential. Wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of walnut oil, dried white flowers, saffron, citrus oil and crisp orchard fruit, along with a delicate top note of fino sherry, it's medium to full-bodied, sapid and incisive, with superb concentration, racy acids and a long, resonant finish. I found it irresistible.
The year 2019 marks the end of an era at Jacquesson. When brothers Laurent and Jean-Hervé Chiquet took over this important house, they initiated a revolution, ending the use of herbicides and terminating numerous contracts for purchased fruit, pursuing lower yields, riper grapes, and more terroir expressive wines. In short, this was a marque that embraced many of the defining tenets of what we today call the grower Champagne movement. As of this year, there are no longer any reserve wines or wines sur lattes that date back to the old era: Jacquesson's new leaf has finally been entirely turned. Everything that bears the Jacquesson label henceforth will reflect the brothers' vineyard practices and will have been produced by their methods: fastidious pressing, fully 12 months of sur lie élevage in foudres and demi muids and bottling without cold stabilization, filtration or fining. Of all the Jaquesson's innovations, however, it's perhaps their non-vintage 700 series that has been the most widely emulated. Frustrated that blending for a consistent house style meant making the great vintages worse just as it meant improving the weaker years, the Chiquets decided instead to employ reserve wines to bring complexity to each successive base vintage. Each 700-series edition is now transparently based upon a single vintage, supplemented by the addition of complementary reserve wines. This concept has been adopted by a number of houses that were under pressure to devolve more information about their blending practices, and I'm sure there will be others to follow. While Jacquesson's most coveted wines are their tiny lieux-dits bottlings, it's arguably the 700 series that gives the most relevant insights into the work they're doing today: after all, the just-released 2008 lieux-dits reflect the vineyards and vinification of 11 years ago, not of the present. And based on the latest 700-series wines, the future will be very exciting indeed. I hadn't seen Jean-Hervé Chiquet for a number of years, so this visit was a great occasion to catch up and to remind myself of the many reasons there are to admire this exemplary Maison.
Champagne Jacquesson heeft 3 sterren gekregen in het klassement van La Revue du Vin de France. Dit klassement geeft een kwaliteitsoordeel over de 1.300 beste wijnhuizen van Frankrijk. Het oordeel wordt uitgedrukt in sterren. Een beoordeling van drie sterren is het maximum dat verkregen kan worden. In totaal zijn er maar 56 wijnhuizen met een 3-sterrenstatus, waarvan 6 huizen in de Champagne: Bollinger, Egly-Ouriet, Jacquesson, Krug, Salon en Selosse.
Wij citeren hieronder uit de Revue du Vin de France. Zie hier de beschrijving in Le guide de référence de la revue du vin de France - Les meilleurs vins de France 2010.
Champagne Jacquesson - Our favourite Champagne or Our favourite people in Champagne
“We harvested the Pinots Meuniers earlier than in the past few years in order to gain greater crispness. Previously, we had gone some way down the road in the search for maturity. Now, especially with our lower yields, we have changed our policy.” The Chiquet brothers harvest less than 10,000 kg per hectare compared with the average in Champagne of 13,600 kg/ha. It was with them that we had our best tasting of the 2008 vins clairs. The Chardonnay which often lacks depth elsewhere, has a higher alcoholic content here than the Pinots Noirs. Laurent’s favourite cuvée , a paragon of this style, is the Dizy Corne Bautray (which was picked on 29 September 2008 at 11.5 degrees). An immense wine of great density which fills the mouth, with beautiful acidity on the finish. Jean-Hervé’s preference is for the Pinot Noir of Ay Vauzelle Terme (harvested on 26 September at 10.9 degrees) – a terrific Pinot Noir where the blocked “malo” has given it great firmness in the finish without adding and harsh notes to its mellow texture. The only problem is that we have to wait until at least 2016 before these wines are released!
Ook in de Barometre Bettane & Dessauve 2009 werd Champagne Jacquesson als wijnhuis erkend voor zijn enorme ontwikkeling in kwaliteit.
De grote hoeveelheid prijzen en erkenningen in de afgelopen jaren maakt duidelijk dat het project van de broers Chiquet na 20 jaar hard werken zijn vruchten afwerpt. Het relatief kleine wijnhuis Champagne Jacquesson (31,5 ha wijngaard, 350.000 flessen/jaar) behoort tot de top van de wijnwereld. In Nederland kunt u onder andere van Champagne Jacquesson genieten in Michelinsterrenrestaurant De Librije.
eRobertParker.com #1112 Nov 2012
I also tasted the NV Brut Cuvee No. 736, which Jean-Herve Chiquet disgorged ‘a la volee,’ which means the wine is not technically finished, hence the score in parentheses. The 736 is based on the 2008 vintage, a year that yielded pure, racy Champagnes built on energy and tension, a style I personally like quite a bit. The 736 presents incredible aromatic nuance and layers of finely sculpted, chiseled fruit. An intense, saline and citrus-laced finish rounds things out in style. This is shaping up to be a great 700-series Champagne from Jacquesson, perhaps the best yet. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023. I have to say, I was totally blown away by the wines I tasted with proprietor Jean-Herve Chiquet at Jacquesson this year. I can’t think of another estate in Champagne that has so successfully transformed itself in just a handful of years. Most Champagne fans are familiar with the house’s 700-series NV wines, which remain absolutely delicious, fairly priced and relatively easy to find. Over the last ten years so, Jacquesson has also stepped up their program of single-vineyard wines. Quantities are tiny and prices are high, but these are now some of the most compelling wines in the entire region. If you haven’t tasted the Jacquesson wines lately, you owe it to yourself to do so.
93 punten Wine Enthusiast (Cuvée No.736):
“Just released, this latest non-vintage from Jacquesson is very steely, austere, cool and elegant with apple and citrus acidity. It has freshness and balance. Still young, but very complete.” - Roger Voss
92 punten Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Cuvée No.736):
“Bright straw-yellow. Intense aromas of nectarine, pear skin, chamomile and toasty lees are enlivened by bitter citrus zest and mineral elements. Dense, seamless and powerful, with fresh pit fruit and candied orange flavors complicated by notes of anise and buttered toast. The mineral nuance comes back strong on the finish, which features a suave, expansive floral quality.” - Josh Raynolds
90-92 punten Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: (Cuvée No.736)
“The 736 presents incredible aromatic nuance and layers of finely sculpted, chiseled fruit. An intense, saline and citrus-laced finish rounds things out in style. This is shaping up to be a great 700-series Champagne from Jacquesson, perhaps the best yet.” - Antonio Galloni
***** (5/5 sterren) voor het wijngoed Eichelmann ‘Het champagnehandboek’:
“Wereldklasse. Jacquesson-champagnes zijn authentiek en krachtig, en hebben door de opvoeding in hout volop karakter. Ze zijn complex intrigerend, lang en aanhoudend, telkens weer doordrenkt van minerale smaken… voor puristen.”
*** (3/3) sterren voor het wijngoed La Revue du Vin de France:
“Ils représentent l‘excellence du vignoble français. Les meilleurs terroirs exploités par les plus grande vignerons. Déguster leur vin est toujour un moment magique.”
**** (4/5 Sterne) Bettanne & Desseauve voor het wijngoed:
“Absolument remarquable, le brut non millésime est numéroté; ainsi la cuvée 737 correspond-elle à des vins de base majoritairement issus du millésime 2009.”
De 741 heeft 92 punten gekregen van Winespectator
Wine SpectatorSpice and verbena notes herald this fim, lacy Champagne, accenting flavors of pached quince, slivered almond and fleur de sel. Finely balanced, this is dry and savory on the lightly toasty, lasting finish.
