Today, Maison Jacquesson owns 30 hectares of vines and also sources around 10 hectares from long-established winemakers who meet their quality requirements and are located close to their own plots. Their grapes come exclusively from five crus classés: Grands Crus Avize, Oiry and Aÿ, as well as Premiers Crus Dizy and Hautvillers.
The main protagonists of Jacquesson Champagne blends are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Although Meunier is still vinified in their winery and added to blends in minor quantities, the house continues to phase out its use. Although the Chiquet brothers appreciate Meunier from other terroirs, they feel that the variety doesn't flourish or express itself as well on their soils, and so are gradually replacing the Meunier plots with their preferred grape variety: Pinot Noir.
Cuvée 700, the emblematic Champagne Jacquesson cuvée
The centerpiece of production is the famous Cuvée 700 , which they launched in 1999, when Champagne was still dominated by non-vintage Brut blends created in a particular house style : multi-millennium champagnes with a recognizable taste, and little or no variation from one year to the next.
Unlike other producers, Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet were tired of producing the same style of champagne over and over again, and were frustrated by the uninspired goal of consistency rather than individuality. Seeking new challenges, they decided to redefine the purpose ofblending for themselves, and bring new joy to their lives as winemakers.
Inspired by the simple fact of making the best possible wine every year, they decided to emphasize the character of each terroir's expression in the specific conditions of each vintage. To temper the often dominant character of the vintage in young wines, they use reserve wine from previous Cuvée 700 blends to reinforce the backbone of the cuvée.
The iconic Cuvée 700 series began with Cuvée 728 as the first edition. Surprisingly, the number 728 was chosen more accidentally than strategically, as it simply represented an administrative number in their wine book: it was the 728th wine produced in the estate's almost 200-year history, a wine based on the 2000 vintage.
Since then, Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet have strived, year after year, to find the right balance between distinction and resemblance, and have succeeded in establishing this series as the house's masterpiece. Their latest edition, Cuvée 745, based on the 2017 vintage, was recently launched.
The touch of excellence
The key factors in the champagne house's production quality are centered on work in the vineyard. Sustainable viticultural practices, careful observation throughout the growing season, controlled yields and a carefully chosen harvest date are the most critical points for their production.
The vineyard team strictly limits the number of bunches each vine bears, so that the plant can feed and ripen the berries more evenly. The result is more aromatic, uniformly ripe grapes that can be harvested at the peak of ripeness, but as early as possible. This reduces the risk of complicated weather conditions towards the end of the growing season.
Once all the grapes have been picked and brought to the winery, the bunches are gently pressed in traditional horizontal presses. The must from each press is separated into three parts: the first and last thirds are removed and sold to other producers, and only the central part - the heart of the cuvée - is kept for their own production.
After pressing, the musts are pumped into the house's large oak barrels, where they undergo alcoholic fermentation and the entire winemaking process right through to bottling. Malolactic fermentation is neither started nor stopped if it occurs. The wines are left unfiltered on their lees so that they can silently develop their full character, interrupted only by occasional battonage, the stirring of the lees.
A major advantage of limiting production quantities is the ability to age the base wines over a long period of time. Previously, the team had to bottle all the wines in a hurry to make room for the next harvest, but after reducing yields and selling off part of their vineyard area, their wine cellar offered enough space to keep the latest vintage in barrel for a few more months, while already filling the new vintage in the empty barrels. Since then, they have matured the base wines for a minimum of 12 months in barrel to obtain a richer, more balanced base for their future cuvées.
One cuvée, two lives
"Every harvest has the chance to live two lives", says Champagne Jacquesson in its manifesto. In this spirit, each edition of Cuvée 700 is marketed twice: the first time after four to five years of ageing, when the champagne displays a vibrant energy, and the second time after ten years, when part of the retained production is marketed under the name of Dégorgement Tardif to show the complex, fully mature character of the cuvée.
After disgorgement, the decision on the dosage of each cuvée is taken and adjusted by a thorough blind tasting to ensure that no more than the bare minimum of liqueur is added. In the end, all the meticulous work carried out in the vineyard and cellar pays off in this final stage of the winemaking process: most cuvées are so well-balanced that they require very little, if any, dosage.
To taste Champagne Jacquesson's Cuvée 700, you can find the latest releases in our boutique: Cuvée 745 in its youthful élan, and Cuvée 740 Dégorgement Tardif in all its beautiful complexity. For an even more nuanced tasting experience, both cuvées are available in magnum format: Cuvée 745 Magnum or Cuvée 740 Dégorgement Tardif Magnum.
Four Lieux-Dits to discover
Although Champagne Jacquesson has only a few cuvées in its portfolio, and doesn't produce a classic range of champagnes like most other houses, there are still other treasures to discover. A confidential collection of four champagnes from sought-after localities completes the house's offer: Avize Champ Caïn, Dizy Corne Beautray, Dizy Terres Rouge and Ay Vauzelle Terme.
Selected from the house's best plots and produced in very small quantities, these rare bottles offer a glimpse of the efforts the house has made to make each terroir shine. Highly appreciated by champagne connoisseurs, the four lieux-dits provide ample opportunity to deepen Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet's uncompromising commitment and authentic precision.
