17/06/2026
I am absolutely loving this journey of opening some of my prestige cuvées before they quietly drift past their best moment. If you’ve been following along, you’ll know I needed a system to decide which bottles to open, and in true “keep it simple” fashion, I landed on alphabetical order … though I’ll admit, I may have bent the rules once or twice.
For J, I went straight for a unicorn … Jacques Selosse Cuvée VO Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut. VO stands for Version Originale, the original expression, faithful to its roots. Only around 3,600 bottles are produced each year, showcasing Chardonnay from three Grand Cru villages: Avize, Cramant and Oger, and built around three successive vintages. It’s as precise and thoughtful as you’d expect.
There’s arguably no Champagne producer spoken about more, or more passionately, than Selosse. The house was founded by Jacques Selosse in the 1950s, taken over by his son Anselme in the 1980s, and later joined by Anselme’s son Guillaume in 2012. Anselme completely reshaped the Champagne landscape with his terroir-driven, organic, almost Burgundian approach, using techniques like barrel fermentation and solera systems. The result? Champagnes that are layered, intense and endlessly fascinating.
Selosse has long since reached cult status. Production is tiny, demand is huge, and bottles are both rare and eye-wateringly expensive.
My bottle was disgorged on 25 August 2020 and, as recommended, was given plenty of time to settle back into itself post-disgorgement. The house suggests opening it at least two hours before drinking, serving it at around 12°C and ideally decanting it.
I have one word for this wine, and one word only: magnifique. If you know Selosse, you know. And if you’re hoping to track down a bottle, be prepared for a challenge, and a price tag somewhere between $500 and $1,000 (depending on the retailer and location). Oh, and you might find yourself having to fight a few people for it.
