Jacquesson is a small, family owned house who have taken a revolutionary approach to their non-vintage champagnes.
Most champagne houses seek to produce a consistent flavour profile year in, year out by blending together different vintages for their non-vintage champagnes. Jacquesson prefer to reflect the character of each vintage. Their non-vintage champagne reflects the main vintage in the blend, so the flavour profile of its non-vintage champagnes changes over time and is reflected in a cuvée number.
Cuvée 729 is principally made from the 2001 vintage and Cuvée 728, from the 2000 vintage. Each champagne is intriguingly different, the 728 was more concentrated than the 729 reflecting the greater structure and ripeness of 2000.
Both champagnes share a tight structure, vinosity and complexity which has its roots in vinification in (old) oak foudres and low dosage – all their wines are technically Extra-Brut (drier than Brut). They are eminently ageworthy and very much food wines.
Jacquesson Cuvée 729 (mostly 2001) – smoky nose, with relatively broad textured palate of acacia and honey – £26.50 – Le Pont de la Tour (wine shop)
Jacquesson Cuvée 728 (mostly 2000) – smokier than the 729 with good bite/structure, green apple and hawthorn notes with minerally, oyster shell undertones – very fine £29.00 – Le Pont de la Tour
Jacquesson 1995 Avize Grand Cru (Blanc de Blancs) – floral with honey hints on the nose, dry mouthcoating, full-bodied palate with smoky roasted hazlenuts and a steely, minerally, oyster shell finish – very good – £42.60 – Pont de la Tour
Jacquesson 1995 Grand Vin Signature – the pinots deliver more savoury, spicy fruit; developed marmite with fresh apple on the nose, firm and fleshy on the palate with fine, fresh finish – £67.00.
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
April 2005
