Pierre Jacquinot and his two sons, Jacques and Jean-Guy, created Champagne Jacquinot & Fils in 1947. Pierre was seriously injured in WWI by a mustard gas attack when he was just 18 years old, and he decided to convert his physically demanding family farm into a vineyard once he returned from the war. Once returned from the war, he also became a grape broker for Champagne Mercier, which required him to buy and sell grapes from the local grape growers.
In 1929, he set up his own pressing centre to process the purchased grapes. As he was injured in the war, he spent his winters on the French Riviera to rest and recover. To sustain himself during the winters, he sold Champagne for Champagne Watteau. After the Second World War, Pierre and his two sons decided to produce their own Champagne since they already had all of the necessary supplies: a vineyard, a pressing centre, a small winery and a network of customers. At that time, it was impossible to make and sell Champagne from any town other than Reims or Epernay, and so that is why they purchased this winery here in Epernay.
Today, Champagne Jacquinot & Fils has 17 ha (42 acres) of vines, and we grow the traditional three Champagne varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Jean-Manuel Jacquinot, the son of Jean-Guy, has been the oenologist and wine maker at Champagne Jacquinot since 1998, and became the executive director in 2009. François Nicolet, Jacques’ son-in-law, joined the company in 2009 as the marketing manager.
GRAPE GROWING
Champagne Jacquinot & Fils are now certified VITICULTURE DURABLE EN CHAMPAGNE (Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne). This eco-friendly designation is the greenest designation one can receive in Champagne.The soil in the vineyard is calcareous, which helps our three grape varietals to thrive. Chardonnay alone composes nearly 60 % of our entire estate. Pruning is done manually during winter and is followed by a tightening down. Chablis and Cordon pruning methods are used. Sprouting generally takes place in April. Flowering takes place in early June. The harvest is done in just 10 days in either August or September with a team of around 90 seasonal pickers.
WINE MAKING
The grapes are hand-picked and pressed in the farmhouse using the original press that was made by Pierre Jacquinot in 1929. Although they grow three varietals, they only keep and produce wine from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Juices are gently settled and temperature controlled to ensure quality before they are sent to the winery. The alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature controlled tanks, after an inoculation with a selected yeast from the Champagne region. After maturing in the cellar, then the cold stabilization and filtration are done. At the end of March, bottling takes place, and once the bottles are filled, they are taken back to the cellar to rest. Our beautiful cellar was hand dug into the characteristic Champagne chalk in 1873, and it is located 19 meters (62 feet) below street level. The wines ferment and mature on fine secondary lees at 12 °C (54°F) for a period of at least years before finally being riddled. The bottles are then disgorged, and kept for a minimum of four months to ensure that the sugar solution is perfectly incorporated into the wine. The bottles are labelled and then despatched directly from our winery to our customers.
BLANC DE NOIRS
Awarded Gold by Singapore Newspaper
Made from a single vineyard and a single year 2015 , it is a blend of 100% Pinot Noir. 28 month of lees ageing. The malolactic fermentation is not done and the base wine is unfiltered.
The colour is gold with a hint of pink.
The tiny bubbles reveal the characteristics of this blend, which are of fruit, specifically cherry and strawberry, along with a nice freshness. This Champagne pairs very well with French sausages “saucisson”, and smoked or dried ham like Parma and Bellota.
Previous Blend:
85/100 Wine Guide Gilbert et Gaillard 2017
Gold Medal Wine Guide Gilbert & Gaillard 2015
CHAMPAGNE SYMHONIE BRUT 2009
Awarded Gold by Singapore Newspaper
Vintage blend of 60 % of Chardonnay and 40 % of Pinot Noir from our oldest vines.
The maturation in the dark cellar is longer to ensure a long lees ageing.
The current vintage is the 2009 bottled in 2010. 9 Years of lees ageing dosage at 9.1 g/l. The Malolactic fermentation has been done.
The next vintage released will be the 2011.
During its long maturation, this Champagne develops aromas of ripe fruit and toasty characters as well as citrus, pears and peaches. The mousse is delicate and creamy. Overall, a rich wine with a long aftertaste.
This Champagne pairs well with appetizers, and can be served with smoked salmon, fish, sea bass filets in a cream sauce, white meat, and lamb chops in mustard sauce. An ideal pairing would be with poultry from Bresse with a cream and morel mushroom sauce.
CHAMPAGNE SYMPHONIE ROSE
Awarded Gold by Singapore Newspaper
This rosé is made only when we have a climate that is suitable to grow our very best quality Pinot Noir.
The blend is of 50 % of Pinot (30 % of Blanc de Noirs and 20 % of Red wine from Pinot Noir from our estate) to give the colour and the fruity character, and 50 % of Chardonnay to keep a nice freshness. The Malolactic fermentation has not been done.
The current blend is 2013 bottled in 2014. 4 years of lees ageing. Dosage 9.6 g/l
It is a pink, fruity rosé colour. This Champagne with nice, tiny bubbles and a creamy mousse supports the nice red fruit aromas, mainly raspberries and cherries. The length on the palate reveals a very distinct freshness.
This Champagne is ideal as an appetizer, and pairs well with a fresh fruit salad or a chocolate cake, but can also pair with white meats and follow a complete diner.
CHAMPAGNE PRIVATE CUVEE
Awarded Silver by Singapore Newspaper
Signature non-vintage Champagne; available as a BRUT, EXTRA-BRUT or as a DEMI-SEC. Now also available as a BRUT NATURE (without dosage).
This Champagne is composed of a blend of 70 % Chardonnay and 30 % of Pinot Noir, containing 25 % of reserve wines to provide our own personal touch.
Currently, the 2014 blend which was bottled in 2015 is available. 4 years of lees ageing. Dosage at 9.4 g/l for the BRUT. The malolactic fermentation is not done on this blend.
This Champagne is ideal for cocktails and as an accompaniment to appetizers. Served between 8 to 10 °C (46 to 50 °F), it reveals the fresh, toasty characters of Chardonnay, which are followed by the fruitiness of the Pinot. The tiny bubbles provide a delightful sensation.
The Private Cuvée is available in ½ bottles, magnum and jeroboams, and in Brut, Demi Sec, Brut Nature and Extra Brut.
BLANC DE BLANCS
Awarded Silver by Singapore Newspaper
Made from a single vineyard named l’Almeida, and from a single year 2014. No Malolactic fermentation and no filtration. This wine was developed after few years of experimentation. Our Blanc de Blancs is very fresh and young, with nice lemony characteristics. Dosage at 9.6 g/l The malolactic fermentation is not done and the base wine is unfiltered.
The colour is pale green and gold.
The tiny bubbles charm the palate and keep a long body of acacia honey and white flowers and lime. The minerality and the ever so subtle salty characteristic makes this wine an ideal pairing for oysters and scampi, but also as a summer appetizer and a nice desert.
NAME OF THE PERSON FOR THE INTERVIEW: MR. JEAN-MANUEL JACQUINOT
DIRECTOR-VINEYARD MANAGER-CELLAR MASTER (Wine Maker)- CEO and Mainly the great son of the founder.
QUESTION 1: Do you already export to Singapore ? If yes, where ? If no, what type of importers & distributors are you looking for in Singapore?
We are not present on the Singapore market yet, we are present in Hong-Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Australia but also in South Africa and in California.
We are searching a local importer and distributor who is searching a “Boutique Champagne Family House”, creating long lees ageing Champagnes (specially we have old vintages) and also fresh and crispy Champagnes for new consumers and new countries.
QUESTION 2: What is the most unique and qualitative part of your products, different from competitors?
We are making and producing our Champagnes with our own grapes coming from the family vineyards which certified sustainable viticulture in Champagne the most eco friendly certificate before being organic (which is difficult in Champagne). And we do long lees ageing in our Cellar at a natural temperature of 12 °C at20 meters below the street level with 90 % of humidity. Blends are only made out Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Pinot Meunier is not used in our blends but we are going to launch a 100 % Pinot Meunier Cuvée in June 2019. Due to the global warming we do not do anymore the malolactic fermentation since the harvest 2009, and it keeps a nice freshness to our Champagnes since.
We are going to launch also a Blanc de Blancs Vintage barrel matured in June also.
Since 2015 we do not filter also blends to limit our water consumption and our wastages.
QUESTION 3: When did you start to export your brand worldwide, and what is your development plan for the next years?
We have started export when I took over the business in 2009 and we export now 30 % of our production. We are stabilizing now our business to keep a high quality but also we are trying to develop it, while finding new countries where there are champagne Lovers. We have a good contact in Hawaii. So we keep fingers crossed.
We will be present at Vinexpo Shanghai from 21st to 26th October.
Thank you MR. JEAN-MANUEL JACQUINOT for your time and answers!
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