London was in its autumn finery for the launch of Champagne Jacquart’s latest vintage. The champenoise weather created a perfect aura for the 2018 Blanc de Blancs to be poured into glasses, unveiled with a flourish of colour and creativity at the house’s elegant headquarters. The occasion was as much about art as it was about wine, celebrating the union of craftsmanship in bottle and brush.
The new release arrives in a limited-edition gift box created by artist Odyssée Khorsandian, a graduate of the École Supérieure d’Art et de Design in Reims, whose work captures the freshness, vibrancy and modern spirit of the champagne itself. The collaboration marks another chapter in Jacquart’s ongoing commitment to supporting young artists, part of a tradition that sees the Reims mansion regularly transformed into a gallery of local talent.
Jacquart winemaker Jöelle Weiss
A radiant vintage
The 2018 growing season is already considered one of Champagne’s most generous and harmonious of recent years. With warm, sunny days and just enough rainfall to balance ripeness and freshness, it offered quality yield, particularly for Chardonnay.
For this Blanc de Blancs 2018, winemaker Joëlle Weiss selected Chardonnay exclusively from 1er and Grands Cru vineyards in Chouilly, Cramant, Oger and Villers-Marmery. The wine spent six years on lees before disgorgement, allowing time for texture and complexity to develop, and was finished with a dosage of 6.5 g/L to highlight its balance between fruit and tension.
Weiss describes the cuvée as “a Champagne of charisma, natural grace and radiant elegance,” summing up the Jacquart style as polished, modern and designed for convivial enjoyment rather than solemn contemplation.
In the glass
The Blanc de Blancs 2018 opens with gentle notes of citrus and white blossom on the nose, followed by soft hints of mango, pineapple and a touch of green apple. The palate is smooth and supple, carrying its fruit with ease into a light, zesty finish.
It is a champagne that reflects the warmth of the 2018 harvest while maintaining a fresh, open character. Served well chilled, it would pair gracefully with delicate seafood or creamy pasta dishes. Jacquart suggests a crayfish and grapefruit salad, or sea bream ceviche with avocado. I am fully in favour of the grapefruit salad suggestion. The touch of sweetness and creamy texture also make it a natural companion for light desserts based on sponge cake and cream.
An artistic collaboration
Art has always held a special place in the world of wine. Many of the finest houses support artists in one way or another, and it is a topic I absolutely love. I have a longstanding admiration for wineries that showcase art in their vineyards and tasting rooms.
The intersection of personality, wine, and art in a creative context was the subject of an exhibition called Wine, People, Objects, which was held during London Design Week. In this the artist, Luxxica, selected a handful of wine personalities and 'translated' each of them into a wine object. For example, Libbie Brodie was interpreted as a decanter, I was represented as a wine bottle, and someone else became a wine holder.
Art can express what perhaps words and wine cannot. Engaging artists to convey a message creates a new way to look at the wine itself, whether through a label, bottle design or, in Jacquart’s case, the packaging.
Khorsandian’s design began with acrylic paint applied to glass using a scraper, creating smooth, fluid textures that she later transferred to tissue paper. These layers were digitised and reimagined in shades of yellow and green, echoing the wine’s tones of bright fruit and sunny energy. Beneath the wash of colour, delicate white patterns suggest both petals and bubbles, creating a sense of movement that seems to dance across the box.
“I wanted the design to feel free and unforced,” Khorsandian explained. “It’s about emotion, capturing the joy and vitality of champagne.” The result is a package that radiates freshness and modernity, perfectly in tune with Jacquart’s youthful aesthetic.
Only 1,500 numbered cases of this special edition have been produced, making it a collector’s piece as much as a bottle for celebration.
Champenoise London lunch
The launch itself was an elegant affair, bringing together members of the trade and press for a convivial afternoon in Marylebone. Between the conversation and the clink of glasses, there was a genuine sense of appreciation for the interplay between art and winemaking. Khorsandian’s colourful, bright work dominated the room, a reminder that champagne, for all its tradition, continues to reinvent itself through creativity.
Jacquart’s team spoke passionately about their desire to make champagne more accessible and relevant to a new generation of drinkers, a goal reflected in this collaboration. By linking the craftsmanship of fine wine with contemporary art, they hope to spark fresh interest in the sensory and emotional side of champagne. They even introduced a perfume inspired by the aromas of the wine itself.
Both the 2018 and 2015 vintages were paired with an inventive menu featuring tahini, labneh, charred aubergine and Cornish plaice. Personally, I still prefer champagne alongside slightly different flavours, but just like art, taste is a deeply individual matter.
That pairing menu in full
A blend of tradition and modernity
Since its founding in 1964, Champagne Jacquart has built its reputation as one of the region’s great cooperative success stories. Representing more than 1,800 growers and vineyards across the region, it has always aimed to balance scale with sophistication, producing champagnes that are elegant yet approachable.
The house’s ongoing partnership with artists underlines that same philosophy, a respect for tradition paired with a modern, creative outlook. The Odyssée expression feels like a confident reflection of this brand identity.
The final word
There is something undeniably engaging about the meeting of two worlds, art and wine. It is an intersection full of creativity and sensory discovery, as we move beyond taste and aroma to perceive colours, brushstrokes and texture. Quite a treat, I must say.
The packaging makes a perfect gift for the upcoming festive season, and what lies inside makes a charming aperitif for gatherings with friends. It is certainly a crowd-pleaser, so you cannot go wrong with it. And who knows, perhaps the design might even spark a lively conversation about artistic passions over your next glass of Champagne.
