Jacquesson Dizy Terres Rouges Extra Brut Millesime Rosé `04 $90.00 ****

I drink Champagne when I win,
to celebrate…
and I drink Champagne when I lose,
to console myself. 

Napoleon Bonaparte

I was in London.  Felix brought it home one night after work.  We chilled it, popped the cork and enjoyed.  It really is a celebration Champagne.  Since  I don't get to London very often anymore - we made it a weeknight celebration of my whirlwind 10 day trip (an early Christmas present from S. & JPH).

Jacquesson Dizy Terres Rouges Extra Brut Millesime Rosé is a remarkable deep rosé that on first sip is dry, (seriously extra brut) and then creamy with a taste of tart wild strawberries. Each glass became more magical. I think that we may have over chilled it at first.  As I sipped and ran around the house looking for spots to take a picture, we ran a serious risk of having no wine to photograph.  It is THAT good.

Historic, exclusive and delicious.  Did you know that the house of Jacquesson was founded in 1768?  Did you know that once upon a time, if you bought a brand new Aston Martin, it would be delivered with a case of Jacquesson in the boot?  Did you know that this is the richest, driest and most elegant Rosé Champagne that I have ever tasted? Oh, and Napoleon liked it too.  He bestowed his seal of approval on the house in 1810.


Jacquesson et fils produces Champagne Grand Cru in various forms.  Since 1798 they have given each blend an individual number, starting with No 1.  On their website, I can see #725.  They now call it the 700 series. Jacquesson produces an award winning Avize Grand Cru Recolte and some very exclusive Grand Vin Signature bottles.  All are priced accordingly as rare gems in the champagne world.  If you get a chance,  try a sip and see what Napoleon was going on about.

Let me rave about the label as well.  It is in English; beguilingly simple and straightforward.  Easy to read and tells me everything that I need to know as a consumer about the production.  It really is exclusive.  Only 4,520 bottles were produced that year. It is a blend of 71% Pinot Meunier, 29% Pinot Noir.  The wine sat on the lees for 5 years and then was disgorged in 2009.  Even at 12% ETOH, it has a miniscule 5g of sugar per liter.  The grapes were grown on the lower slopes of Dizy, a village in the Champagne region of France.  (there is even a lovely rose colored map of DIZY on the front label for the directionally challenged (like me))

Jacquesson Champagne quietly exists in a rarefied world.  Beyond artisanal, it is a classically produced Grand Cru that has withstood the test of time.  You won't see it advertised, you won't see it being swilled by a rock star or celebutant in People Magazine.  You'll see it on the best wine lists, in discrete multimillion dollar wine cellars, and maybe (if you are lucky) in a gift bag presented to you by a generous friend with great taste.