2009 Champagne Jacquesson 'Ay Vauzelle Terme' Extra Brut

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Wine Enthusiast - "The only Pinot Noir Champagne from the current release of single-vineyard wines by this producer has magnificent richness and presence. The wine's structure is complex, hinting at tannins as well as packed with a mélange of fruit and toastiness. Although this very fine wine is ready to drink now, it is sure to age further."


Vinous - "The 2009 Extra-Brut Aÿ Vauzelle Terme 100% Pinot Noir from a south-facing slope is surprisingly ethereal in its first impression before the natural power of the vintage makes itself felt. Mirabelle crushed flowers spice mint and sweet dried cherry add pretty shades of nuance. The personality of Pinot from Aÿ comes through loud and clear. Disgorged May 2019 and bottled with no dosage."


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "Disgorged without dosage in May 2019 the 2009 Extra-Brut Grand Cru Aÿ - Vauzelle Terme is showing nicely offering up inviting aromas of pear honeycomb dried white flowers and hints of dried fruit and nuts. Medium to full-bodied elegantly fleshy and vinous it's broad and textural with ripe but racy acids a delicate mousse and a long sapid finish"


John Gilman - "The climat of Vauzelle Terme is one of the most famous in the village of Aÿ with extremely chalky soils. The Chiquet brothers own thirty acres of pinot noir vines here that were planted in 1980 and which sit right in the middle of the due south-facing slope. The wine was barrel-fermented and the vins clairs were bottled in June of 2010 for their secondary fermentation; the cuvée was disgorged in May of 2019 after nine years aging and was finished without dosage in this vintage. The wine offers up a stellar bouquet of peach apple macadamia nuts a beautiful base of chalky soil tones brioche a bit of buttery oak and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep full-bodied focused and impeccably balanced with a superb core of fruit outstanding focus and grip refined mousse and a very long complex and wide open finish. The ripeness of the fruit in 2009 allowed for this wine to be bottled without dosage and still offer up outstanding drinking (relatively) right out of the blocks. This is very lovely juice. (Drink between 2020-2045)"