NV Jacquesson Cuvée No. 736

Jacquesson

France / Champagne / Jacquesson

The 2008 season was preceded by a winter that alternated between periods of extreme cold and mild weather. Then spring was cool and rainy, with some frosts, before a cool, dry and windy summer. September was superb, allowing the Chiquet brothers of Jacquesson to bring in a harvest of healthy, ripe grapes in perfect condition. 53% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir & 18% Pinot Meunier. A third of the blend is made up of reserve wines.

November, 2017

David Schildknecht

Wine Advocate

93 points

Based on vintage 2008 with 2007 and 2006 (totaling a third) in supporting roles, and 53% Chardonnay; 29% Pinot; 18% Meunier, the Jacquesson NV Extra Brut Cuvee 736 delivers a captivating performance in which prominent acidity, bone-dryness and underlying firmness that in lesser hands or from lesser material would come off as spare and austere, here instead blossom into an irresistibly mouthwatering wealth of scents of flavors. Lemon, grapefruit and white peach tinged with their pits and with pungent yeastiness are further allied with hickory nut bittersweetness, freshly milled cornmeal, mint, chalk, and brine both on the pungent nose and vibrant, gripping palate. Expansive yet productively tense and consummately refreshing, this finishes with cheek-pinching, salivary gland-milking intensity. It should prove rewarding to follow over at least the next 3-5 years, as well as from any subsequent disgorgements.

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About Jacquesson

Jacquesson has an impressive history. It was founded in 1798 in Châlons by Memmie Jacquesson, son of a wine trader. The house rapidly rose to fame, aided by the fact that Napoleon was a fan. However, everything that we today value about Jacquesson began in 1974 when Côte des Blancs winegrower Jean Chiquet acquired the brand and vineyards and moved the domicile of the house to Dizy. His sons Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet are the present custodians of the Jacquesson trading house, which manages to cover almost 90% of its grape requirement from its own vineyards. These are located in the Grands Crus Aÿ, Avize and Oiry, and in the Premiers Crus Hautvillers, Dizy and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Additional grapes are only bought from growers who follow exactly the same methods as the Chiquets. The fruit is pressed by Jacquesson itself in its four presses, three of which are located in Dizy and one in Avize.


About

Laurent and Jean-Hervé Chiquet see themselves primarily as winegrowers who cultivate the land and do everything with the aim of obtaining the best possible grapes. And from there, the brothers have been ready to break with convention in order to deliver the best possible wine every time - hence the decision to introduce the 7-series non-vintage wines instead of the traditional house NV. In his 2018 article entitled Champagne’s Top Five Movers & Shakers, Tyson Stelzer summed up the approach pretty well: "It’s been 40 years since Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet’s family purchased Jacquesson, 30 years since the brothers took control, 20 years since they turned champagne’s non-vintage concept on it head with their controversial ‘700 series’ cuvée, and ten years since they pulled their most cunning stunt of all by slashing production to ramp up quality. And ramp up it has."