Pouring Champagne Jacquart

Brands come and go, and sometimes, they come back again at opportune moments. For the house of Champagne Jacquart, re-entering the wider Singapore market (it was previously only distributed by operators like airlines) after over a decade was a carefully calculated decision. Adrien Combet, Champagne Jacquart’s managing director, shares that reason for doing so: “the brand significantly improved its wines and cuvees to become an established quality Champagne in many major markets. For more than 10 years, Champagne Jacquart has constantly improved every year”.

After finding Singapore-based wine distributors Taste of Tradition — who also happened to be looking for a new Champagne to add to their portfolio — on LinkedIn, a couple of tasting sessions, and a few months of deliberation, the Champagne is now available to the Singaporean public.

 “Champagne’s marketing line is always about prestige, which we were bored with. We went out to look for great quality and great value instead.” explains Emil Teo, Taste of Tradition’s executive director.

Champagne Jacquarts headquarters in Reims, Champagne.
Champagne Jacquart’s headquarters in Reims, Champagne.

Champagne Jacquart

The house was founded in 1964, when 30 small families came together with the belief that “a brand should be born in the vineyard and not the boardroom”. Champagne Jacquart has since grown to encompass over 2,400 hectares spread over 60 crus.

While they’ve been around for 54 years, Jacquart’s a relatively young Champagne house when compared to many prestige brands, many of which can be over a century old. Even the current cellar master, Floriane Eznack, joined at the tender age of 30 in 2011. All this translates into a tipple with a much more modern attitude: a little more relaxed, a little more open to experimentation, and more accessible for more occasions.

Even then, quality remains top priority. All their non-vintage Champagnes are matured for a minimum of three years, as opposed to the legal minimum of 15 months required for wines from the region; everything is hand-picked; while all the bottles are hand-riddled for their Blanc de Blancs and Alpha Brut.

Champagne Jacquarts Brut Mosaique NV
The brand’s flagship cuvee, the Brut Mosaique NV

 

For now, four cuvees are being brought in by Taste of Tradition:

Brut Mosaique NV

The flagship cuvee of Champagne Jacquart. Named for the all the different parcels of vines that contribute to the final product — just like a mosaic. Fresh, light, fruit-driven palate with plenty of juicy pear, yellow flowers, and freshly baked biscuits.

Rose Mosaique NV

Jacquart’s rose is made by blending pinot noir (including a portion of red wine), Chardonnay, and Meunier. The salmon-coloured vino offers red and dark fruits, peaches, surprising complexity, and a rounded salinity.

Blanc de Blancs 2012

Made from 100% chardonnay, the Blanc de Blancs offers much finer, almost creamy bubbles. Dry, balanced, with floral, spicy, buttery notes. Autumn fruits, cereals, and a long elegant finish.

Cuvee Alpha Brut 2010

This award-winning cuvee from the house is blended from 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir  and matured for between five to seven years. Full-bodied autolysis nuttiness also gives it the greatest cellaring potential for the four.

 

Champagne Jacquart is distributed by Taste of Tradition in Singapore.