A family business with bold founding choices
The story of a quest for excellence since the 18th century
Founded in 1798 by Claude Jacquesson, the eponymous house has successfully navigated the centuries, maintaining its independence and identity. While Napoleon Bonaparte was one of its earliest admirers, it was in the 21st century that Jacquesson established itself as a leading name in characterful champagnes. Since the 1970s, the Chiquet family—specifically brothers Jean-Hervé and Laurent—has managed the estate with a philosophy firmly focused on quality.
Their major decision: to abandon the logic of standardized, large-batch wines in order to develop an original and innovative concept, that of...numbered vintagesEach year, a new edition is created (Cuvée 700, 741, 742, etc.) highlighting the style of the vintage and its unique balance. This approach breaks with the standardization of non-vintage Brut, while offering the public a precise and transparent understanding of the winemaker's work.
The story of Jacquesson is also one of a gentle transition towards more respectful viticulture: choice of the best plots, massal selections, limitation of yields… All decisions based on the conviction that great champagne is born from healthy grapes, from living and well-understood soil.
Prestigious terroirs in the heart of the Montagne de Reims and the Marne Valley
Plot-by-plot, demanding viticulture, and expression of the soil
The Jacquesson estate now covers approximately 30 hectares, spread across the villages of Dizy, Aÿ, Hautvillers, Avize, and Oiry. These villages are among the most prestigious in Champagne, particularly in the Premier Cru and Grand Cru sectors. The predominantly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape varieties, with a touch of Pinot Meunier, are planted in exceptionally fine chalky soils, giving the wines their mineral freshness and chiseled texture.
With a constant focus on quality, the estate cultivates its vines using sustainable farming practices, employing methods similar to biodynamics, though without official certification. Plowing is done with horses, treatments are kept to an absolute minimum, and the harvest is entirely manual. Human intervention is carefully considered to respect the natural growth cycle and allow the grapes to express their full potential.
The mosaic of plots, some emblematic like Corne Bautray, Champ Caïn or Vauzelle Terme, is vinified plot by plot, which allows each terroir to express itself without dilution.
Rigorous winemaking and champagnes with excellent aging potential
Aged in large oak casks, minimal dosage and a strong identity
In the cellar, Jacquesson's philosophy is based on highly precise winemaking practices. The juices are naturally settled, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged on their fine lees in oak casks for several months. Far from overpowering the wine, the use of oak accompanies its evolution while enhancing aromatic complexity. No systematic malolactic fermentation, no industrial yeast inoculation, no intrusive clarification: everything is done to respect the raw materials.
The dosage is extremely low, even non-existent (extra-brut), so as not to mask the wine's true character. Late disgorgement, meanwhile, helps to refine the bubbles and reveal chalky, saline textures, particularly sought after by discerning wine lovers. Cuvées like the 742, or single-vineyard wines produced in small quantities, exemplify this understated, elegant, and refined style.
Jacquesson champagnes are distinguished by their balance between tension and maturity, with aromas of white fruit, candied citrus, hazelnut, chalk, and sometimes dried flowers. These are gastronomic wines, capable of accompanying refined dishes, and possessing an aging potential often exceeding 10 years.
