We have just received our first container since the pandemic. The various delays and distractions resulted in this being our biggest import yet, while the tariffs mean it is chock full of champagne and old Barolo; two of our strongest and favorite areas that happen to be exempt from the 25% that applies to so many other categories.
There's so many great wines and great producers to highlight, that we will have to spread the offers, possibly over several weeks, just to do all the wines justice. But you can get a head-start by checking our full inventory file through the link at the bottom of this email.
But first up, and in stock now -
Champagne Jacquesson
Cuvee 743 $60 - New Release, First Available in the US!
With no professional reviews out yet, we'll give you ours...
Based on the 2015 vintage, this is a classic Jacquesson with good color, fine and persistent mousse, and a superbly intense nose that shows delicate floral notes above a profoundly yeasty, soy undertone that can only come from extended aging on the lees.
The palate is dry but full bodied and seriously classy. There's enough depth and intrigue to keep you interested and coming back to the bottle as an aperitif, but it is a food wine at heart, and a champagne of a very high order.
Jacquesson sets an incredibly high standard with this, their 'entry-level' wine, the 'Cuvées 700,' year after year. The 743 is up there with the best they have ever released, and Krug fans must ask themselves why they are paying three times the price for their equivalent?
The quality of the Cuvees 700 series is essentially the reason Richard Juhlin gives Jacquesson his coveted Five-Star rating, alongside only Selosse, Krug and Salon. Jacquesson is the only one of these houses to have a wine priced below $150.
Cuvee 742 in Magnum $140
94 points Antonio Galloni
The Extra-Brut Cuvée No. 742, based on the 2014 vintage, is a gorgeous wine. In this release, the Cuvée seems especially marked by Pinot in both its flavor profile and texture. Dried pear, hazelnut, mint, chamomile and dried flowers all grace this rich, beautifully resonant Champagne from Jacquesson. Best of all, the 742 will drink well with minimal cellaring. The 700-series Champagnes are often superb; the 742 is an especially fine edition. The blend is 59% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ, Dizy and Hautvillers) and 41% Chardonnay (from Avize and Oiry). Dosage is 1.5 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2030)
Cuvee 741 in Magnum $140
93 points Antonio Galloni
The Cuvée No. 741, based on the 2013 vintage, is quite pretty. Complex, nuanced and multi-dimensional in feel, the 741 is beautifully layered in the glass. In this release, the Pinot Noir is especially expressive and gives the wine a measure of textural breadth that is unusual for a young 700-series Champagne. Soft contours and a host of toasty, resonant flavors give the 741 its distinctive feel. Best of all, the 741 will drink well upon release. Disgorged June 2017. Dosage is 2.5 grams per liter. (Drink between 2018-2028)
Degorgement Tardif
The 'Degorgement Tardif' series (DT for short) represent a reserve bottling of the 700 series that is held on the lees for an extra 5 years before disgorgement and release. These wines are roughly equivalent to the style Bollinger made famous with their RD or Egly Ouriet now produces with their 'VP.'
They are always exquisite. We have the 737DT and the new release the 738DT in stock, having just arrived.
738 DT $95 - New Release, First Available in the US!
Be the first to taste this wine in the country? We have not yet...
737 DT $95 - for some reason; $35 cheaper than the next Winesearcher listing!
92+ points Antonio Galloni
The Cuvée No. 737 Dégorgement Tardif shows all the radiance and suppleness of the base 2009 vintage. Racy, silky and polished, with plenty of near-term appeal, the 737 is a gorgeous Champagne to drink now and over the next handful of years. Expressive orchard fruit, mint and white pepper notes are nicely pushed into the foreground. This is the first vintage that is aged on the cork. Disgorged November 2017. Dosage is 2.5 grams per liter. (Drink between 2019-2029)
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