Terry enjoys a champagne with Jacques Oudart at the APVSA tasting in Washington DC, January 2019.

Champagne Étienne Oudart had several champagnes for tasting at the January APVSA tasting in Washington DC. This champagne house passed from father to son. It began in 1958 and has progressed. In 2018 the vineyards were certified “High Environmental Value” and “Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne.” The winery is located south of Épernay in Brugny.

Today, the champagne house is headed by Jacques and his wife Karinne. Last year Champagne Étienne Oudart celebrated its 60th anniversary. I met Jacques at the Washington DC tasting. Asked about his wine journey he said that at a young age he wanted to escape the champagne world. As a young adult at 22, he decided to return to the world of champagne. 

Jacques sees his champagnes as different than others. Many of the grapevines are 60 years old. He prefers to age the champagnes for a minimum of five years and he likes to go with less sugar in the dosage.

The Champagnes

I tasted three champagnes. The Extra Brut was an equal blend of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir with 20% Chardonnay. The dosage was only 2 g/L. This yellow colored champagne had multiple columns of tiny bubbles forming a mousse on the center and around the circumference of the glass. The aroma and taste was reminiscent of red berry fruits and citrus with freshly baked bread. The mouthfeel was lively. The wine retails for 17.10€.

The 2008 Cuvée Juliana Millésimé was named after Jacques’s mother.

The Chardonnay Brut Millésimé was crafted with 100% Chardonnay from the 2010 harvest. Multiple columns of tiny bubbles formed a central and circumferential mousse on the surface of this pale yellow colored wine. Apple, pear and freshly baked bread were noticed on the aroma and taste. The mouthfeel was lively. With 8 g/L of dosage, there was a hint of sweetness on the fruity finish. The champagne had a long aftertaste. 

The 2008 Cuvée Juliana Millésimé was named after Jacques’s mother. The wine was a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier. This yellow colored champagne had a gold hue. It showcased multiple columns of tiny bubbles forming a mousse in the center and circumference of the surface. The wine was aged for ten years and had 6 g/L dosage. It offered apples and citrus on the aroma and apples, citrus and freshly baked bread on the taste. The mouthfeel was creamy. This creaminess yielded to liveliness. The finish was crisp and refreshing. The champagne retails for 27.45€.

We hope Jacques can find importers and distributors along Eastern United States for his champagnes. 

Cheers,
Terry