Champagne Jacquesson "Cuvée 748 Grand Vin" Champagne Extra Brut

Jacquesson has a small production facility in Dizy, across the river from Epernay. Here the Chiquet brothers use vertical presses that are more than one-hundred years old rather than more abusive horizontal presses. Only juice from the first pressing is used —the press wine itself is sold to négociants —and all the juice is either from grand cru or premier cru rated vineyards. The juice flows by gravity into steel tanks for 24 hours of settling, after which it is transferred to large neutral wood casks (foudres) for several months to undergo alcoholic and malolactic fermentations. The lees are stirred to enrich the wine, a practice that has the additional benefit of providing a naturally reductive environment and keeping the need for SO2 additions to a minimum. The first racking normally occurs in April or May.

Malolactic fermentation is never blocked because it would require a lot of SO2, and low acidity in Champagne grapes is not a concern. Since the fruit that makes the wine always attains an enviable level of ripeness, the dosage is typically in the extra-brut range of one to six grams of sugar per liter. Bottling is done without cold stabilization or filtration.

The 748

◊ 2020, our harvest in Aÿ, Dizy, Hautvillers, Champillon (55%), Avize and Oiry (45%): winter is mild and very rainy while spring is very sunny and dry. Following the storms of June, the drought sets in until the end of September. Early harvest from August 26 to September 10 with a very beautiful maturity and a magnificent balance. Viticulture respectful of the soil and the plant in the service of parcel diversity. Vinification and aging in foudres without filtration or gluing. The chardonnays mark this blend, despite the addition of 24% of reserve wines, consisting of Cuvées n°747 to 743 and Cuvée n°741.