‘Autour de Minuit’ is one of the most distinctive Champagnes in the Jacques Lassaigne range—a Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature from Montgueux that takes its character not only from chalk and Chardonnay, but from time spent in barrels that previously held Vin Jaune from the Jura. With both 2018 and 2019 vintages available on Symbolic Wines, this is a cuvée that rewards close attention from collectors and Champagne lovers who appreciate strong terroir identity and unusual élevage.
Montgueux and the Lassaigne style
Jacques Lassaigne is based in Montgueux, a chalky hill west of Troyes in the Aube, where Chardonnay is planted on southeast-facing slopes with notably mineral subsoils. Emmanuel Lassaigne, who took over from his father Jacques, works a small family estate of around 4.7 hectares, vinifying individual parcels with minimal intervention to capture what importers regularly describe as the purest expression of the Montgueux terroir.
The house is best known for Blanc de Blancs Champagnes produced from 100% Chardonnay, using spontaneous fermentations, limited sulphur and extensive work with oak to add texture and complexity without masking the chalky core. ‘Autour de Minuit’ fits squarely within that philosophy, but adds a twist: barrels with a Jura history.
What ‘Autour de Minuit’ actually is
‘Autour de Minuit’ is an extra-brut Blanc de Blancs from a specific parcel—Les Paluets—vinified as 100% Chardonnay and then aged in barrels that previously contained Vin Jaune from Jean-François Ganevat. The 2019 vintage, for example, is presented as a Blanc de Blancs from Les Paluets, aged in barrels that previously held Vin Jaune, producing a Champagne that is deep, spicy and bright, with a style that is unique in the region.
The core idea behind ‘Autour de Minuit’ is a series: Chardonnay from Montgueux raised in Jura barrels to layer in oxidative, nutty, umami complexity over a chalk-driven base. While some technical notes apply specifically to the Grande Côte iteration, they confirm the same guiding principle behind the cuvée as a whole.
Autour de Minuit 2018: ripe fruit, subtle oxidation, long finish
For Jacques Lassaigne Autour de Minuit 2018, the nose shows ripe apple, white plum and candied lemon intertwined with fresh walnuts, toast and a subtle oxidative nuance, explicitly linked to the Vin Jaune barrel legacy. The palate is full and textured, with a tension between ripe fruit and fresh acidity, and a long, persistent finish that carries citrus and nutty notes.
The wine is a sparkling wine from Champagne made entirely from Chardonnay, in a style that leans complex and traditional, with food pairing suggestions that focus on shellfish, crab and lobster. That combination of ripe fruit, subtle oxidative tone and strong structure makes the 2018 vintage particularly interesting for those who want a Blanc de Blancs that can handle richer dishes and cheese, not just oysters and simple aperitif service.
Autour de Minuit 2019: tropical tension and curry spice
The 2019 Autour de Minuit takes that profile further. The nose is complex and captivating, with tropical fruit such as mango and roasted pineapple, sweet spices, light curry, nuts, lemon zest and an elegant oxidative touch from the Vin Jaune barrel ageing. On the palate, the 2019 is deep, spicy and bright, combining concentration and freshness, and is clearly a Blanc de Blancs with a distinctive personality.
The 2019 Brut Nature is described as full-bodied and tension-filled, with tropical fruit, sweet spices and a touch of barrel oxidation creating an exceptionally long finish. Published tasting guidance suggests that it will show at its best from 2025 to 2038, with the window from 2025 to 2030 seen as especially strong for tension and aromatic power.
How the Vin Jaune barrels actually influence the wine
The use of ex-Vin Jaune barrels is not a gimmick but an integral part of the wine’s identity. The barrels bring a very specific set of aromas and textures—walnut, curry, umami, candied nuts and a gentle oxidative note—that sit over Montgueux’s chalky, citrus-driven base. In related technical notes, the wine is described as spending several years in these barrels, on Vin Jaune lees, leading to a Champagne that is mineral, complex, rare and captivating, with salinity, umami and candied nuts.
Applied to the 2018 and 2019 releases, the same principle holds: Chardonnay from a chalky Montgueux parcel, raised in used Vin Jaune barrels to add nutty, spice-and-curry dimensions without sacrificing the structural tension that Brut Nature and Montgueux chalk provide. For drinkers, the result is a Blanc de Blancs that feels simultaneously Champagne and Jura-adjacent, making it one of the more distinctive cross-regional dialogues currently available in the category.
Where Autour de Minuit sits in the Lassaigne range
Jacques Lassaigne’s broader portfolio includes more classic parcel-based Blanc de Blancs such as Les Vignes de Montgueux, which emphasize pure chalk, citrus and white fruit, and other single-site bottlings without unusual barrel history. ‘Autour de Minuit’ sits to the side of that core, intentionally drawing on Jura barrels to create a more layered, oxidative profile while holding onto Montgueux’s mineral spine.
Taken together, the published notes on 2018 and 2019 make clear that this is not simply another Blanc de Blancs from the Aube, but a clearly defined, small-production cuvée with a strong identity and documented ageing potential. The wine sits at the point where Champagne texture, chalk precision and Jura-style barrel influence meet.
Why it belongs in a Symbolic Wines Champagne cellar
From a Symbolic Wines point of view, ‘Autour de Minuit’ checks several boxes that matter in a fine-Champagne selection:
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Clear origin and grape: all sources confirm it is a 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs from Montgueux, tied to specific parcels and southeast-facing chalk slopes.
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Distinctive élevage: multiple importers note ageing in ex-Vin Jaune barrels, and in some cases barrels that also held Ganevat’s Savagnin cuvées, over multi-year periods on lees.
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Published tasting and ageing data: detailed aromatic and structural descriptions for the 2018 and 2019 vintages, including a long drinking window for 2019.
For collectors and Champagne-focused drinkers, that combination—strong terroir, unusual but well-documented barrel work, and concrete information on how the wine behaves over time—makes Jacques Lassaigne ‘Autour de Minuit’ Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature a compelling addition to any cellar that already knows its way around both grower Champagne and the wines of the Jura.
Sources: Wine‑Searcher, Gourmet Hunters, Plus de Bulles, Flatiron Wines, Maree Haute, Jenny & François Selections, Winespeake.
