In 2005, La Revue des Vins de France voted Jacquesson the third best Champagne house in the world after Bollinger and Krug and in 2010, the house received a 3 star decoration, placing it amongst the top 6 Champagne houses in the region.
In 2011, Jacquesson continues to prove itself worthy of these accolades. Based in Dizy, a few vines North of Epernay, the house is run by the Chiquet brothers who are long time advocates of zero dosage. Dosage is a small addition of sugar at the time of bottling, a process which can be said to be used by some houses. to conceal flaws in the wine, notably unripe fruit. The Chiquet’s are also proponents of late disgorgement. Disgorgement is the final and most fundamental step in the sparkling wine process involving the removal of the frozen sediment or yeast collected in the neck of the inverted bottle at the end of the Champagne’s ageing process. By deliberately delaying the disgorgement until the release to market, the champagne benefits from a protracted maturation on its lees (yeast), underpinning the aromatic subtlety and complexity of the final wine while at the same time, retaining a freshness and expression of fruit. The juxtaposition of minimal sugar and extended lees ageing produces, a Champagne which is pure and poised, pairing seamlessly with food and ageing beautifully in the cellar.
The NV Brut Cuvee 734 is an absolutely beautiful bottle of wine. Rich and expansive on the palate, the 734 flows onto the palate with expressive fruit, showing wonderful richness and depth. The aromatics and minerality of the Chardonnay play off the richness of the Pinot and Meunier with remarkable grace. The Brut Cuvee 734 is 54% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Meunier and 20% Pinot Noir; all from Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards in the Vallee de la Marne and Cote des Blancs. The principal vintage is 2006 and constitutes 73% of the final blend with the rest of the blend coming from the estate’s reserve wines. Dosage was a miniscule 5 grams per liter. 91 points, Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate (Issue 192)
“In Champagne, three stars were only given to Bollinger, Egly-Ouriet, Jacquesson, Krug, Salon and Selosse. In the entire region of France, only 56 domaines have obtained this distinction: this includes Domaine de la Romanée Conti and Château d’Yquem as well as Domaine Zind Humbrecht and Château Rayas.”
La Revue du Vin de France, The Classification of the Best Wines of France 2010
