NV Jacquesson Cuvee 738

The Cuvée 738 Extra Brut is a blend of 67% of the 2010 vintage and 33% Reserve wines, all grapes sourced from Grand and Permier Crus in the Côte de Blanc and the Marne Valley. The wines were fermented spontaneously in foudres and the final assemblage is made of 61% Chardonnay, 18% Pinot Noir and 21% Pinot Meunier. The wine I am tasting was disgorged in April 2014 with a dosage of 2.5 grams per liter. Its bouquet offers a precise, multi-layered, fresh and slightly spicy bouquet of chalk, ripe apples, lemons and lemon grass, some Mediterranean herbs, oysters and sea breeze. The wine is lean and straight-forwarded on the palate, lovely, dry and stimulating in its firm structure. This is pure Champagne with elegance and a lingering expression. It's a great aperitif and in this case, the glasses should not be too big, whereas many vintage Champagnes taste much more complex and vinous out of wine glasses with a larger goblet.

The latest in the Chiques family\'s very successful initiative of numbered NV cuvées, this is based on 2010 with one-third reserve wine in the blend. The nose has plenty of bright chardonnay fruits, lime and lemon, green melon notes and a little spicy edge, plus plenty of stony, chalky notes too. The palate\'s nicely paced, delivering the same swathe of citrus on arrival, building to more savory, nutty characters as it goes. Lemon and lime sherbet flavors; acidity is crunchy and energetic. Drink now or over the next five years, longer if you like more of the toasty stuff.

Based on 2010. Dosage 2.5 g/l. Disgorged January 2013. Numbers chosen to generate differences. Some organic viticulture but mildew pressure is a problem. Very sophisticated. Already a bit of wild-flower notes here. Racy and lacy. (JR)