PRINCETON, NJ Restaurant Dining Guide Announcement

When I first met Jacques Diebolt in a tiny cellar in the heart of Champagne  in the village of Cramant, there was no wine to sell. It didn't shorten the visit any. Diebolt finished the three-hour tasting by sabering a bottle of 1953 that his father had made. The wine was barrel-fermented without fining or filtration and no malolactic fermentation. It was fresh as day, like Grand Cru Chablis with bubbles. But when we asked about availability, Jacques apologized. Half of his production was purchased by two restaurants -- one a 3-star, the other a 2. The other half was completely allocated to people who had long been making the annual trek to Cramant from Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg and England, filling up their trunks with a yearly supply. The visit was unforgettable, but I struck out.

A few things have changed chez Diebolt since my first visit. Jacques makes a little more wine, and now there's always a good Corkscrew allocation. The cellars are now multi-level subterranean, accessible from an unassuming little building across the street, where an elevator takes you down to the labyrinth of the Diebolt laboratoire. The wines are still some of the most exciting in Champagne, fine, high-toned wines, just brimming with life and the spirit of Jacques Diebolt. Few wines in the region match the vitality of the Tradition cuvée . It's a must-buy this Valentine's Day!