Jacquart redefines house style

Jacquart’s new winemaker Floriane Eznack has redefined the brand’s house style while building up library stock for the label.

Floriane, who joined Jacquart in June last year from Veuve Clicquot, said she had brought more “texture” to the Brut Mosaïque, Jacquart’s non-vintage blend, which accounts for 85% of the volumes produced.

The wine, based on Chardonnay, Floriane admitted, “Was very strong in terms of acidity,” and hence, over the last six months she has focused on creating a non-vintage style “with smoothness, and not just freshness.

This has been achieved, she told the drinks business, by altering the origin of the grapes, changing the way the wine is made, and extending the ageing period.

In particular, the Jacquart Brut Mosaïque now spends a minimum of three years on its lees. “We have increased the ageing time because with more time in contact with the lees you get more texture and complexity,” she said.

She also stressed that Jacquart only ever use the cuvée, or first pressing, and never blend any taille into the wine.

“My role is not to make a big change but to define the style and stick to it,” she stated.

“Now the style is defined, the idea is to be as consistent as possible,” she added.

She also said that she has been working on Jacquart’s l’Oenothèque, the brand’s historic stock of vintage Champagnes.

Jacquart is currently working on creating a dedicated cellar at its headquarters in Reims – the former Hôtel du Brimont – where it will store old wines and newer vintages for extended ageing on their lees.

“The idea is to create a premium around being able to offer older vintages to consumers,” said Floriane, adding, “Some of the wines we are putting into the Oenothèque will be for my successors.”

Jacquart are also reintroducing a harvest date for its prestige cuvée, Brut de Nominée, beginning with the upcoming 2004 vintage, while the brand has commissioned a designer to create summer and winter versions of its Brut Mosaïque gift boxes.