Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs

"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." Robert Parker

• Winery: Taittinger
  
• Varietal: Chardonnay
  
• Region: Champagne, France
  
• Vintage: 2011
  
• Alcohol: 12.5%
  
• Volume: 750ml
  
• Closure: Cork
• Food match: Lobster, shrimp, shellfish, smoked salmon, caviar, oysters, fried chicken, Brie-style cheeses, fruit-based desserts (tarts and crepes)
  

"I'll take Taittinger blanc de blancs….. It is not well known, but it is the best champagne in the world" James Bond in Casino Royale (1951)

The Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is the finest example of the Taittinger House style and is always a vintage cuvée. It is made with 100% white grapes from the 5 villages with a Grands Crus classification for the Chardonnay grape (Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Oger, Mesnil-sur-Oger).

Winery notes - The nose takes you into a world of maturity and voluptuousness. It exhales delicious notes of gingerbread, liquorice and meringue. This Comtes de Champagne delivers aromas of delicate white fruit: vine peach, cherimoya and mandarin peel subtly blended with light touches of almond pastry. A wine of great mineral power, dense and rich with Chardonnays flexing their iodine character. The generous palate is built upon a chalky structure, giving it charm and precision. This smooth wine takes you on a journey through aromas of candied fruit and sweet spices like aniseed and coriander.

The Soul of a Family Business - The Taittinger family has managed the Champagne House for nearly a century. Its aim has always been the pursuit of excellence. “Having our family name on a bottle places demands and responsibilities on every minute. The name on the bottle conveys both the skills and knowledge of the past and a commitment to the future”. Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger has embodied this commitment for 40 years, and today he shares it with his son, Clovis and his daughter, Vitalie who both work beside him in the day to day running of the Champagne House. Together, they create a very close-knit and complementary family trio.

Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger is a fervent ambassador for the Champagne region and its history and influence. He is not interested in accolades or power. As he puts it: “We cultivate vines, not egos at Taittinger”. A determined connoisseur, hedonist and humanist, Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger successfully bought back his family’s business from the Starwood Group following their buy out of the business the year before. Winning back the business was an act of duty, carried out in the spirit of family pride. He is surrounded by a young, passionate group of professionals, who work closely with one another as guardians of Taittinger and all that it represents and inspires.

A Legacy, The Destiny of a Dynasty - The vitality and reach of the Taittinger brand is based on the values of those who embody it today. These values are inherited from those who created the Champagne House. Over three generations, a number of people have left their mark on the history, spirit and style of Taittinger and, beyond that, on the image of Champagne itself. Vision, inspiration, strategy, development and influence have all contributed to permanently shaping the destiny of the family and the reputation of the Champagne House.

• 97/100 Points - James Suckling (2011 vintage)
  
• 96/100 Points - Falstaff Wine food travel (2011 vintage)
  
• 95/100 Points - Gilbert & Gaillard (2011 vintage)
  
• 95/100 Points - Champagne Insights (2011 vintage)
  
• 94/100 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2011 vintage)
  
• 94/100 Points - Wine Spectator (2011 vintage)
  
• Tasting Book - 100 Best Champagnes - Best Vintage Blanc de Blancs (2011 vintage)
  
• 92/100 Points - CellarTracker (2011 vintage)
  
• 17.5/20 Points - Bettane et Desseauve (2011 vintage)
• 99/100 Points - James Suckling (2008 vintage)
  
• 5 Stars & Top Rank - Bob Campbell, The Real Review (2008 vintage)
  
• 98+/100 Points - Antonio Galloni MW, Vinous (2008 vintage)
  
• Gold - 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards (2008 vintage)
  
• 98/100 Points - William Keeley, The Wine Advocate (2008 vintage)
  
• Gold - 2020 The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championship (2008 vintage)
  
• 99/100 Points - Tyson Stelzer (2008 vintage)
  
• 18.5/20 Points - Jancis Robinson OBE MW (2008 vintage)
  
• Trophy - 2020 The Wine Merchant - Top 100 Best Sparkling (2008 vintage)