Excellence not homogeneity
It was once reputed to be a favourite of Napoleon; these days it is skillfully managed by brothers Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet, whose father acquired the house in the 1950s. Jacquesson doesn't quite qualify as a grower champagne, but with wide holdings across a series of grands and premiers crus in the Marne and the Cote des Blancs, they meet 80% of their grape needs from their own vineyards. And when they do buy in grapes, it is from neighbours in the same crus - the brothers get to be as strict about their neighbours' farming as they are about their own.
You might think the Chiquet brothers are not short of confidence. While most champagne houses lead with a non-vintage cuvee specifically to hide vintage variation and set a house style, that's not the way here; Jacquesson like to celebrate vintage variation, even in their blended cuvee. The danger of a vintage-based approach in a marginal region like Champagne is the difficult years, but the Chiquets have the rigorous, ruthless approach to farming that can make this work.
Jacquesson 742 is based on the 2014 vintage, topped up with 40% reserve wines. 2014 was a wild, oscillating year, with a mild, wet winter, a hot, dry spring, and a cool, wet summer capped by a hot, early autumn. It could have gone so wrong, but Jacquesson have turned it into a triumph. The goal of the annually-released 700 series champagnes is to use reserve wines to bring complexity without hiding the character of the base year. As the Chiquets put it, 'we seek excellence, not homogeneity'.
'The Extra-Brut Cuvée No. 742, based on the 2014 vintage, is a gorgeous wine. In this release, the Cuvée seems especially marked by Pinot in both its flavor profile and texture. Dried pear, hazelnut, mint, chamomile and dried flowers all grace this rich, beautifully resonant Champagne from Jacquesson. Best of all, the 742 will drink well with minimal cellaring. The 700-series Champagnes are often superb; the 742 is an especially fine edition. The blend is 59% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ, Dizy and Hautvillers) and 41% Chardonnay (from Avize and Oiry). Dosage is 1.5 grams per liter.' 94 points, Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, July 2019
Offered subject to confirmation; available Spring 2020
