Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée No 741 Dégorgement Tardif (2013 Base)

Outside of completely revolutionising the whole notion of Champagne with the introduction of the 700 series, the Dégorgement Tardif (D.T.) programme is perhaps the greatest legacy that the Chiquet brothers have left to the new custodians of this brilliant estate.

The annual D.T release sees the original 700 series wine being released having aged slowly, in bottle, on lees under cork, in the dark cellars at Jacquesson for an extended period of 6 years compared to the inaugural release (which already spends around 4 years on lees). The sumptuous Cuvée No. 741 D.T having spent a staggering 94 months on lees under cork before disgorgement in April 2022 and being finished with zero dosage added.

On the 2013 vintage, Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet commented “Our 2013 harvest from Ay, Dizy, Hautvillers, Avize and Oiry. The winter was very cold and snowy, with spring and early summer staying cold and very damp, causing coulure and millerandage as well as delaying the flowering. However, August and September were warmer and drier giving us a late, but excellent, harvest. The Pinot Noir from Ay and Dizy and the Chardonnays from Avize were particularly successful. The harvest was complemented by the addition of some reserve wines.”

Vinous Media scribe Antoni Galloni agreed at the time, putting down onto paper upon its original release “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”. The esteemed Jancis Robinson MW commented “Classy concentration immediately apparently on the nose. Lovely lacy texture but with density underneath. This is very smart stuff. Just a pleasure to drink now with great balance.”

2013 was also the last vintage to be fully harvested in October and the resultant wines are laser-like in their precision & purity and if anything, the extra time on lees has brought even more focus and almost endless length to the stunning 741 D.T.

Jean Garandeau, Wine Director of Artémis Domaines and the man tasked with being the current caretaker in Dizy, perhaps sums things up the best when commenting “D.T. is like a second life” and we’re bloody delighted that 741 lives to fight another day as looking back through the annals the original 741 release some 5 years ago, remains to this day one of the most loved 700 series releases. This 741 D.T. will join it in the history books as one of the most memorable standouts in a long list of hits from the legend that is Champagne Jacquesson.