2011 | Taittinger | Comtes de Champagne

A firm, fresh Comtes with a tight and composed palate. It’s full-bodied with a racy mid-palate.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: After the tightly coiled, hyper-concentrated 2008, Taittinger's 2011 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne represents a more immediate, charming rendition of this cuvée. Bursting from the glass with aromas of orchard and stone fruit mingled with notions of pastry cream, blanched almonds and mandarin, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and fleshy, with a soft and enveloping profile, lively acids and a pretty pinpoint mousse. Readers might think of the 2011 as a somewhat less reductive and less intense stylistic sibling of the 2006, and as it takes on more toasty complexity with bottle age, it will make for immensely seductive drinking.

• James Suckling: A firm, fresh Comtes with a tight and composed palate. It’s full-bodied with a racy mid-palate. Long and persistent. Very structured with phenolics and acidity. Minerally. Floral, too. Refreshing and energetic.

Producer Information

Taittinger is one of Champagne's most famous houses. Based in the city of Reims, Taittinger is known for its Chardonnay-dominant cuvées, the pinnacle of which is the blanc de blancs prestige cuvée, Comtes de Champagne. The family-owned estate has approximately 290 hectares (710 acres) of vines, around half of which is planted to Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay and a small amount of Pinot Meunier making up the rest. These vineyards contribute 50 percent of Taittinger's output, with the rest coming from growers who have historical relationships with the house. Taittinger's Brut Reserve NV is composed of 40 percent Chardonnay, with the two Pinots making up the remainder. This makes for a fresh and reasonably delicate house style. In addition to this, Taittinger makes a range of Champagne styles, including a demi-sec, several rosés and an array of single-vineyard, vintage and otherwise limited-edition wines. The Comtes de Champagne is Taittinger's top wine, and was first made in the 1952 vintage. The grapes are mostly sourced from grand cru vineyards across Avizé, Chouilly and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Oak is used sparingly to impart flavors of brioche and grilled almonds, rather than to add any tannins or weight. The bottles are kept for at least 10 years in the underground chalk galleries beneath the former Saint-Nicaise Abbey in Reims (now the Taittinger headquarters). Taittinger's flagship is considered one of the most consistent blanc de blancs (effectively a Chardonnay-only Champagne) from the region. Taittinger also produces a somewhat rarer Comtes de Champagne Brut Rosé. The blend for this wine is more Pinot Noir-dominant with only 30 percent Chardonnay in the base wine and 15 percent of the Pinot Noir vinified as a red wine (in other words, fermented on skins) prior to blending. The house was established under Pierre Taittinger in 1932. His son François took the reins in 1945 and built up the cellars and the vineyards, establishing Taittinger as a top Champagne house. In 2005, the company was sold to US investment group Starwood, but was bought back a year later by the family.

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