WTN: Jacquesson at Terroir

A chance to jaunt back to Terroir in San Francisco to taste a bit more from a producer in Champagne--very impressive indeed, I'd be very happy drinking any of these wines.

Warming up before the sparklers, the 2008 Bernard Baudry Chinon Rosé appears pale salmon, smell lots of stone and flint, very different, very nice, rounded mouthfeel, taste fun and fruity, but light fruit fiercely taken over by fire, steel and rock elements, fiery tart combo brings lots of flavor, delicious and fun, plenty of tartness, but in plenty of delicious intensity, perhaps more for sharing a bottle among a crowd--refreshing, but not sure about quaffing a bottle of this.

Another detour was poured with a raised eyebrow--the 2007 Pyramid Valley Gewürztraminer Growers Collection Orton Vineyard from New Zealand, which smells weird, some acid and chemicals and rotting stuff, but I liked the nose, it made me think gewurztraminer, mouthfeel was thinner than expected, but with a good grip. Tastes pretty weird--some battery acid, plenty of pepper. This is very intense stuff--I'm sure I couldn't drink much of it.

Finally, onto the champagne! The N.V. Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Cuvée No. 733, which is composed of 52 percent chardonnay, 24 percent pinot meunier, and 24 percent pinot noir. Plenty of distinct tar and licorice on the nose that makes me think pinot meunier for some reason. Mouthfeel is light and airy with pinpointed mousse--but the taste is all about rhubarb. Crispy yeast, light fruit, lightly tart, delicate--but that rhubarb comes back again and again--pretty intense actually. Mouthfeel on this wine is to die for. I loved it.

Next the 2000 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Avize Grand Cru--which had a much softer nose more suggestive of molasses and gingerbread. The mouthfeel again has pinpricks, but is even more on the airy side. Tastes of lemon sugar cookies. Really yummy ones--the dryness is distinct and poised. Feels like a champagne that old skool revelers revel in--just tasted very classic. Nose develops more and more as it opens.

The 1997 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Brut smelled more of toasty vanilla with just a tad of licorice underneath. Mouthfeel is noticeably softer, fluffy, perhaps suggestive of clouds. Tastes first of fire and ash, then just delicious crunchiness. This is my style of wine--tastes like the granola of champagnes--yum, I could drink lots/lots more of this one.

Lastly the 2003 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Dizy Terres Rouges Rosé consists of 83 percent pinot meunier and 17 percent pinot noir. Appears red, not pink in any way. Has a pretty strong nose, but I didn't pick anything out beyond strong cherry and raspberry notes. I never could come to a conclusion about how I felt about this wine. It's far more red than pink, and probably more on the black side of red. It is very different and though it is intense, it is in no way numbingly so. Fairly refreshing--food could do interesting things with it, but nothing comes to mind as something that would be enhanced by it. An odd duck of a wine, and for that reason alone, worth revisiting again, I'd guess.

Another detour was poured with a raised eyebrow--the 2007 Pyramid Valley Gewürztraminer Growers Collection Orton Vineyard from New Zealand, which smells weird, some acid and chemicals and rotting stuff, but I liked the nose, it made me think gewurztraminer, mouthfeel was thinner than expected, but with a good grip. Tastes pretty weird--some battery acid, plenty of pepper. This is very intense stuff--I'm sure I couldn't drink much of it.

Hi Keith, I tried this not long ago, this is what I thought:

$A51 is a bucketload of cash for a gewurz from NZ, and it’s a bucketload for an experiment too. This wine is both. This vineyard was apparently ripped up immediately after this fruit was picked. Shame really, this is a quirky, interesting beast that deserves some contemplation. The first thing to notice is the bottle, an a tall heavy alsace shape, with a small punt in it. The next thing is that the wine is cloudy. Haven't even smelled it and it is quirky already. Smells like apple cider. Sweet, and interesting. Maybe musky, maybe lychees, but definitely apple cider. Damn, tastes like apple cider too with some lifted aromatics over its oily, almost creamy textured palate. Gewurz it is, and almost devoid of acid, but its phenolics make it interesting along with its fruit flavours. I couldn’t recommend this for ageing, but serve with pork and apple sauce or middle eastern cuisine. The 14.5% alcohol will slow you down but not stop you.

Sounds a little different, I wonder if your bottle was OK?

cheers

Andrew

Sounds like fun. So I assume Terroir sells that Pyramid Valley? I guess that means they like it?

$A51 is a bucketload of cash for a gewurz from NZ, and it’s a bucketload for an experiment too. This wine is both. This vineyard was apparently ripped up immediately after this fruit was picked. Shame really, this is a quirky, interesting beast that deserves some contemplation. The first thing to notice is the bottle, an a tall heavy alsace shape, with a small punt in it. The next thing is that the wine is cloudy. Haven't even smelled it and it is quirky already. Smells like apple cider. Sweet, and interesting. Maybe musky, maybe lychees, but definitely apple cider. Damn, tastes like apple cider too with some lifted aromatics over its oily, almost creamy textured palate. Gewurz it is, and almost devoid of acid, but its phenolics make it interesting along with its fruit flavours. I couldn’t recommend this for ageing, but serve with pork and apple sauce or middle eastern cuisine. The 14.5% alcohol will slow you down but not stop you.

Sounds a little different, I wonder if your bottle was OK?

Actually, Andrew, your description doesn't fall far from my experience--I wouldn't read too much into the odd descriptors I use. Certainly the bottle was solid, and to the degree it had some funk, it was pleasant funk. Quirky is a good name for it. That being said, I'm still not sure I'd be up for a bottle--I like different, but I found this very intense.

So I assume Terroir sells that Pyramid Valley? I guess that means they like it?

I don't think so and I don't think so. I got the feeling that this was a bottle they had hanging around for whatever reason--judging by facial expressions, I'm fairly certain they're not fans.

[Jenise]

Keith, informative notes. I'm a fan of Jacquesson and had no idea they made a sparkling red, a wine style I'm also a fan of--would love to give that a try sometime. I note that the vintage is the blazing 03--I wonder, if they make this every year, if you wouldn't have found a more temperate vintage to your liking. Or at least lacking the richness and intensity, if I'm interpreting your words correctly, that made this one seem an "odd duck".

I'm a fan of Jacquesson and had no idea they made a sparkling red, a wine style I'm also a fan of--would love to give that a try sometime. I note that the vintage is the blazing 03--I wonder, if they make this every year, if you wouldn't have found a more temperate vintage to your liking. Or at least lacking the richness and intensity, if I'm interpreting your words correctly, that made this one seem an "odd duck".

I don't know if they produce it every year (though Jean Herve Chiquet was in attendance, guess I could've asked), but I would love to compare a wine from a different year to get a sense.

In any case, I strongly suggest you seek out a bottle if possible, I think it's pretty provoking stuff.

Warming up before the sparklers, the 2008 Bernard Baudry Chinon Rosé appears pale salmon, smell lots of stone and flint, very different, very nice, rounded mouthfeel, taste fun and fruity, but light fruit fiercely taken over by fire, steel and rock elements, fiery tart combo brings lots of flavor, delicious and fun, plenty of tartness, but in plenty of delicious intensity, perhaps more for sharing a bottle among a crowd--refreshing, but not sure about quaffing a bottle of this.

I was a big fan of the `07 and posted as such here last year. The `08 was not seen on the shelf here unfortunately imo!

I quite like the 08 Baudry rose, but it is in a surprisingly austere/mineral style. Agree it's not your "let's quaff a bottle of this easy drinker" style

I really loved the 728 and 729, but found the 730 a bit below par, and haven't bought since. Think you've changed my mind!

I am a real fan of Jacquesson (also of his near namesake Jacqueson in Rully) and your notes gives me a nudge to get in some more.