Cédric JACOPIN
Champagne of St. Gallen
Twenty-five years in the wine business, and almost as many working for Union Champagne. Long an assistant to his predecessor, Cédric Jacopin is now cellar master of this imposing structure.
Based in Avize, on the Côte des Blancs, Union Champagne is in fact a group of some fifteen member cooperatives whose contributions come from 1,400 hectares located in Premiers and Grands Crus, on the Côte des Blancs for Chardonnay - two-thirds of volumes - and the Montagne de Reims for Pinot Noir. The member cooperatives supply the base wine to Union Champagne, and Cédric turns it into champagne, marketed under the exclusive Champagne de Saint-Gall brand. "Our range is quite chardonnay-tinted, with four blanc de blancs cuvées. To the natural elegance and finesse of this grape variety on our terroirs, we add body and generosity through long ageing, Burgundy-style," explains Cédric. Chardonnay is also used in blends with Pinot Noir, for Brut sans année and rosés, for example. In all, the Saint-Gall label includes around ten cuvées, blends or single-varietal, and different dosage strengths, from extra brut to the much rarer demi-sec. There's also a brand-new organic champagne, to be launched in late 2024.
