2016 Jacquart Blanc de Blancs Reims, Champagne

Lightish yellow hue; lemon, celery bouquet laced with pencil-wood and nut overtones. The wine is intense and dry, quite persistent and satisfying, with a clean and reasonably dry but soft finish that lingers refreshingly. Very smart palate, still fresh and vibrant at 9 years of age. 30 Aug 2025 Drink 2025–2030

93 points Huon Hooke therealreview.com

Jacquart Blanc de Blancs is a refined and elegant Champagne made entirely from Chardonnay, sourced from some of the finest crus across the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims. As a house, Jacquart is relatively young by Champagne standards, founded in 1964 by a group of growers who wanted to bottle their own fruit rather than sell it off to the grandes marques. Today, the Jacquart cooperative includes hundreds of growers and a remarkable spread of vineyard holdings, giving the winemaking team access to prime Chardonnay sites in Avize, Vertus, Villers-Marmery, and Trépail.

This Blanc de Blancs is all about finesse, minerality and structure. The fruit is hand-harvested and gently pressed, with fermentation in stainless steel to preserve freshness and purity. A portion undergoes malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity and enhance mouthfeel. The wine then spends a minimum of five years on lees before disgorgement, adding layers of creamy complexity while maintaining the chalky backbone that defines great Chardonnay from Champagne.

In the glass, it opens with aromas of lemon curd, green apple, white flowers and crushed oyster shell, followed by hints of toasted brioche, almond and subtle chalk dust. The palate is fine and energetic, with pinpoint bubbles, bright citrus and a saline edge that lingers beautifully. There’s a balance of freshness and texture here that speaks to both quality fruit and careful élevage.

Jacquart’s Blanc de Blancs is an excellent choice for lovers of elegant, mineral-driven Champagne. It pairs effortlessly with oysters, scallop carpaccio, crab and citrus salad, or creamy cheeses like Brillat-Savarin and chèvre. It also makes a perfect aperitif for those who enjoy precision and length over overt richness.

While this cuvée is drinking beautifully now, it has the structure and acidity to evolve gracefully over the next five to eight years, gaining more toast, hazelnut and honeyed depth with time in bottle.