Reviews — Fine Wine

‘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.

Few white‑wine producers inspire the kind of obsessive loyalty that Jean‑Marie Guffens does, and our latest arrivals at Symbolic Wines—four recent vintages under the Guffens‑Heynen label—show exactly why. From a “simple” Bourgogne Blanc built out of young vines and declassified top juice to a micro‑cuvée that distills the character of the Chavigne slope, each of these wines is rooted in specific, documented vineyard and cellar decisions rather than vague marketing stories.

Chavost is one of the most interesting new names in Champagne for people who care about both wine and how it’s made: a historic cooperative south of Épernay that has reinvented itself as a producer of zero‑sulphur, no‑additive wines with real personality. The bottles we’ve brought into Symbolic Wines—from Brut Nature Champagne to Coteaux Champenois and a solera‑aged Ratafia—tell that story in very different, but very coherent, ways.

Jacques Lassaigne is one of those Champagne names that instantly rewards attention: rooted in Montgueux, built on chalk, and known for a style that is precise, mineral, and deeply terroir-driven. The wines on Symbolic Wines reflect that identity clearly, making this a house that speaks directly to collectors who value personality, purity, and limited-production character.