Champagne Jacquesson - Dizy Terres Rouges Extra-Brut 2015

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.

Terres Rouges 2015 is well-ripened and shows none of the typical characteristics of the vintage. Particularly full-bodied and opulent on the palate, it is a wine that is richer than it is elegant; its generosity is evident, but the cuvée lacks a bit of finesse.

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 2015 Dizy-Terres Rouges Premier Cru Extra-Brut is bright, airy, and nicely spiced. It is a particularly floral, medium-bodied expression of Pinot Noir. Crushed flowers, dried herbs, spices, cedar, and tobacco give the 2015 a strong aromatic presence. Although somewhat light, the 2015 is very well-defined and avoids the pronounced vegetal notes that plague so many wines from this vintage. Bottled without dosage. Disgorged: March 2023.

This is a pure Pinot Noir from a small section of a single vineyard in the village of Dizy, which displays great structure thanks to beautiful phenolic compounds and wonderfully ripe fruit. Yet it is dynamic, vibrant, and well-integrated. It is full-bodied and rich, yet fresh. This is a wine that pairs well with all kinds of dishes. No dosage. Drink now or celller.