Champagne Jacquesson - Cuvée 742 Dégorgement Tardif

Brought to the pinnacle of success by the Chiquet brothers, Laurent and Jean-Hervé, the house is the flagship brand for discerning wine connoisseurs. Recently, François Pinault acquired a stake in the company. We highly recommend these great, deep, and elegant champagnes. Each new Cuvée 700 (now 743) is a major creation and receives the utmost attention. It is then aged under cork before being released as a DT (late disgorgement) version. The single-vineyard champagnes with the ultimate complexity come from Dizy (Corne-Bautray, Chardonnay), Aÿ (Vauzelle-Terme, Pinot Noir), and Avize (Champ-Caïn, Chardonnay), and are produced only when the terroir’s character is at its peak. The 2009 vintage exhibits exemplary vibrant warmth and endless depth. Magnificent.

In this regard, the late-disgorged No. 742 offers delicate buttery, hazelnut, and dried fruit aromas. On the palate, it unfolds with a slender structure, without excessive power; a refined wine that is already fully developed.

A new chapter in the company’s history begins with the departure of brothers Laurent and Jean-Hervé Chiquet, who elevated this fine house to the highest echelons of the Champagne region. The Artémis Group has now taken the reins under the leadership of Jean Garandeau, but the teams remain unchanged: Yann Le Gall, cellar master, and Mathilde Perrier, vineyard manager, are still here to carry on the house’s spirit. The 700 cuvées account for the bulk of production. What a long way they’ve come since the release of the 728, from the 2000 vintage! Each year, the estate releases a late-disgorged cuvée; the first to be produced and released was the 733, based on the 2005 vintage. Only a few single-vineyard cuvées are produced, depending on the quality of the vintage.

The NV Extra-Brut Cuvée No. 742 Dégorgement Tardif (2014 base) is another outstanding wine from Jacquesson. Having reached its first peak of maturity, this wine possesses an exotic beauty. Notes of kirsch, ginger, spices, menthol, licorice, and dried herbs unfold pleasantly. There is magnificent depth and resonance here. Despite this, I feel that the 742 is a wine meant to be enjoyed rather than cellared, and a good choice for readers who appreciate mature champagnes. The dosage is 0.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: April 2023.

This wine is truly fantastic, and the extra time spent in the bottle gives it wonderful richness and complexity on the palate. It is full-bodied and creamy, with both smoothness and structure. The pie crust notes and hints of yeast autolysis lend it intensity and liveliness. Eight years in the bottle on the lees instead of three years. 1.5 g/l. Ready to drink or worth cellaring.