Champagne Jacquesson - Avize Champ Cain 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.

The 2015 Champ Cain vintage impresses us with its masterful handling of ripeness, despite a vintage that was far from straightforward. On the palate, it has the expected richness and body, with excellent structure.

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.

A very tight, mineral wine—almost austere—with aromas of chalk, subtle lemon zest, fresh butter, lime, white pepper, brioche fresh from the oven, and stone fruits. Fine bubbles like pinpricks and a medium body. Lively and precise, with flavors of ripe stone fruits and a savory, mineral finish with slightly bitter citrus notes.

The 2015 Avize Champ Cain Extra Brut Grand Cru Champagne has a slightly more intense straw-yellow color and offers an incredible nose. This ripe Chardonnay, with its seductive character, reveals notes of floral aromas, hazelnut, fresh croissant, poached pineapple, and mango, while retaining the salinity and chalky character of the terroir. It is full-bodied and long on the palate, supported by an underlying chalky structure, despite a creamy mousse on the attack. More structured and powerful, it remains in the background and lingers through the finish.