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B-21 Top Recommendation
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“Champagnes of naked purity and brilliance...” - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
The elegant. 95-point Jacquesson Cuvee No. 746 is a silky, richly layered Champagne revealing a core of fresh, mouthwatering fruit with a delicate, finely beaded mousse on a long, racy finish, an irresistible, vineyard-driven cuvee from a top grower estate unbeatably priced for Champagne lovers and collectors to stock the cellar.
Just a few minutes from Epernay in the small village of Dizy, Champagne Jacquesson has a long history as an innovator in the region as one of the Champagne’s oldest houses, among the first in the region to plant vines in rows under the advisement of pioneering viticulturist Dr. Jules Guyot, patenting the wire basket known as the muselet that continues as the standard for holding sparkling wine corks in place and predating Champagne Krug by nearly a half century before Johann-Joseph Krug left his role as cellarmaster at Jacquesson to form his eponymous house in 1843. Eventually purchased by the Chiquet family in 1974, brothers Jean-Herve and Laurent Chiquet have been the force behind the estate’s laser focus on producing vineyard driven Champagne, sustainably farming their 28 hectares of Grand Cru and 1er Cru vineyards while lowering yields and transforming their business with the creation of the sequentially numbered, vintage-based Cuvee, numbering the first release in 2004 as Cuvee 728 to mark the estate’s 728th wine produced. Described by Champagne expert Peter Liem as “consistently one of the best non-vintage Bruts on the market,” the Jacquesson 746 consists of mostly Chardonnay with smaller amounts of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier sourced from three Grand Crus (Ay, Avize and Oiry) and two 1er Crus (Dizy and Hautvillers), consisting of a base from the exceptional 2018 vintage blended with about 25% from one of the oldest reserve wine collections in Champagne. Vinified in large old oak foudres, the enticing Jacquesson 746 aged on the lees for 4 years before disgorgement and was bottled without filtration with a minimal dosage of 2 grams per liter, offering both “immediacy as well as structure,” according to Jeb Dunnuck's Champagne critic Audrey Frick, that will continue to provide lasting enjoyment over the next decade and beyond.
Described as “absolutely delicious” by Antonio Galloni of Vinous, the luxurious 95-point Jacquesson 746 is a testament to the quality legacy of the Chiquet brothers bottled prior to the estate’s sale to Artemis Domaines in 2022, ranking among the region’s top values at a fraction of the price of similarly crafted Grand Marque cuvees and a great deal on an impressive artisan Champagne worthy of celebrating and sharing. |
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Based on the generous 2018 vintage, the 746 fills the glass with a pale pink nuclear explosion of fine bubbles forming columns of visible freshness. A blend of 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier, it is perfumed and succulent with slightly oxidized notes of ripe red apple mixed in with lemon confit, rose water, chalk dust and hints of spice. The medium to full-bodied palate is plush with showy red fruit that shimmers amid a vibrant acid energy that brings loads of freshness to the long finish. Disgorged February 2023 and finished with a two gram per liter dosage. 242,012 bottles, 9,770 magnums and 398 jeroboams were produced.
95 points, Sarah Mayo, Wine Independent (Nov 2023)
Based on the 2018 vintage, which was an early solar ripe vintage, the NV Champagne Cuvée 746 sees two grams per liter of dosage and is about 50% Chardonnay, the rest Pinot Noir and Meunier, and approximately 25% reserve wine. It pours a highly reflective straw hue and is aromatically forward out of the gate, with savory appeal and notes of citrus oil as well as juicy ripe berries. The palate is juicy and inviting, with approachable silky fruit and a fine mousse. It has wonderful balance, with the warmth from the vintage, and immediacy as well as structure that should provide a good bit of longevity over the coming 10-15 years.
94 points, Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck (Nov 2023)
This shows a rich and rather flamboyant character from the heat of 2018, giving a full and flavorful array of brioche and ripe apple, apple tart and dried pineapple. Full and plump with lots of ripe fruit at the end. Mostly chardonnay, the rest pinot. Three years on yeast. Dosage 1.5g/L. Drink now.
93 points, James Suckling (Aug 2024)
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