DESCRIPTION

The 2014 vintage of Comtes de Champagne, the prestige cuvée from Taittinger in Reims, first produced from the 1952 vintage. It is made entirely from first-press Chardonnay grown in the Grand Cru villages of Avize, Cramant, Chouilly, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger on the Côte des Blancs. The 2014 vintage began with a long, cold winter. A warm, dry summer followed, setting a Champagne record of more than 800 hours of sunshine, and the harvest came late, in October. The wine was fermented mainly in stainless steel, with 6–8% aged for 4–6 months in oak barrels. It then spent 10 years in Taittinger’s chalk cellars in Reims and has a dosage of 8–9 g/L. Bottled at 12.5%. (Bottle size 750ml)

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Crystalline and expressive, opening with crushed chalk and oyster shell before unfolding into layers of lemon confit, grapefruit zest and white peach. Brioche, toasted almond and nougat weave through the aromatics.

Palate: Silky yet precise, with a beautifully poised mousse carrying flavours of citrus curd, bitter orange rind and ripe orchard fruit. A gentle creaminess from extended lees ageing and restrained oak influence adds breadth without compromising the wine's terroir-driven core.

Finish: Long, chalk-laced and quietly powerful, lingering on notes of salted lemon, crushed stone and toasted nuts.

TAITTINGER CHAMPAGNE