Description
Jean Vesselle, Grand Cru “Prestige” MAGNUM
It’s very simple: At $199, tonight’s 2002 Grand Cru Bouzy titan, from the singular Jean Vesselle, is one of the last remaining price anomalies in Champagne. Universally touted by epicures, critics, and the cognoscenti as one of the all-time great vintages (if not the greatest) of the 21st century, this was a year that produced powerful, exceedingly age-worthy wines of finesse.
Exorbitant pricing has matched the fervent buzz: For a standard 750ml bottle, every major label is now fetching $200, $300, $400+, so how is it possible that Jean Vesselle’s magnum—which enjoyed nearly two decades of cold, pitch-black cellaring before disgorgement—is priced lower than all of them? I don’t know, and I don’t care to investigate. What I do know is that the luxurious texture, savory nuance, and profundity of each layer put it in the conversation for the finest 2002 Grand Cru Champagne value in existence. This is just sensational wine, still brimming with life and richness that will see it through 2030. We received this special deal through the Vesselle family and their importer, making us one of only a few with limited access. Up to three magnums per person.
On the rare occasion I’m fortunate enough to taste a 2002 Champagne, I recall the absurd scene in Sour Grapes where a couple of wine snobs are discussing great vintages while being chauffeured around. One pretentiously states: “For anyone out there, buy ’96 champagne all day. If you can’t afford that, buy ’02. If you can’t afford that, drink beer.” Clearly, he had never stumbled upon Jean Vesselle.
Anyone who loves great Champagne, and Pinot Noir, recognizes Bouzy as ground zero for the region’s most profound expressions of the variety, with a constellation of blue-chip producers that includes Pierre Paillard, Benoît Lahaye, Paul Bara, André Clouet, and of course Jean Vesselle. The ‘Vesselle’ surname is attached to several different properties within Bouzy, which can get confusing, but Delphine and David Vesselle have distinguished themselves from the pack by (1) reviving the saignée style of rosé, (2) aging their millésime bottlings three times longer than the minimum, and (3) releasing a trendsetting lineup of cuvées. The family’s 15 hectares of vineyards are planted to 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay (a ratio mirroring that of Bouzy as a whole), meaning across the entire Vesselle lineup, Pinot Noir is the star. That said, today’s “Prestige” does contain 35% Chardonnay, which is of course sourced exclusively from their Grand Cru parcels in Bouzy.
The Vesselles are entrenched in viticulture, working tirelessly in the vineyard to adhere to organic (despite being uncertified) practices. They harvest their grapes by hand and the wine is fermented in stainless steel. The minimum aging law for vintage Champagne is three years, but they generally treat theirs to 8-9 years, minimum! And then you have a special library release magnums like today’s: Delphine and David Vesselle aged this tiny batch nearly 19 years on lees before disgorgement in June of this year and a dosage of roughly six grams per liter.
The staggering patience paid off: there are layers upon layers of rich and savory complexities in today’s 2002 Grand Cru Bouzy magnum. The wine spills into the glass with deep straw-yellow and silver hues and instantly releases sublime aromas of yellow peach, apricot, grilled pineapple, lemon curd, red apple skin, crushed stones, chalk, oyster shell, lees, brioche, and a soft yet persisting presence of honeysuckle and toasted almonds. The palate is fresh and precise, showing pronounced layers of fruit and pulverized minerals with zero fatigue. Serve in large-mouthed tulips or all-purpose stems (avoid narrow, cylindrical flutes) and let the temperature come up to at least 50 degrees before savoring. Incredibly, this wine still has so much life ahead of it—I expect it to keep evolving over the next 7-10+ years. Cheers!
