Taittinger Comtes de Champagne '12

What to expect - A Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is rare - Paired with seafood, shellfish or fish entrée - "Refreshing and energetic." - James Suckling (97 points) 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. Really capturing a moment in time, the freshness of this Comtes de Champagne 2011 suggests that it offers all the ageing potential that is to be expected of such a cuvee. The finest example of the Maison Taittinger style, the Comtes de Champagne is rare. It is subject to a great deal of care and attention until it reaches peak condition, and the criteria that must be met for its creation means that it cannot be produced on a large scale. About the House Champagne Taittinger is one of France's most celebrated champagne houses. As the epitome of French sophistication, style and grace, Champagne Taittinger celebrates the pleasures of life, believing that special moments are best enjoyed with fine champagne and great company. Revered by critics the world over and recognised as the champagne connoisseurs, Champagne Taittinger is renowned for creating wines of unmatched delicacy, elegance and finesse. Technical details The Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is made exclusively with Chardonnay from the 5 villages on the Côte des Blancs with Grands Crus classification: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger. This unique terroir is a strip of land measuring barely 20km. The thousand-year-old chalk is present on the surface, creating a real oasis of water and warmth. White grapes flourish beautifully on this type of soil, from which they derive minerality, strength and aromatic sophistication. To create the Comtes de Champagne, only the «cuvee» is used, for an absolute guarantee of sophistication. Of the wines that make up its composition, 5% have been aged for 4 months in new oak barrels, one third of which are replaced each year. Food suggestion Perfect for a special celebration, this champagne is the ideal match for a seafood, shellfish or fish entrée. With an ideal serving temperature of 11°C, this cuvée surprises from the first sips with its incredible youthfulness and its crystal-clear, taut texture. Reviews 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. 97 points James Suckling "Taittinger’s flagship Comtes de Champagne holds an enviable position among the very finest blanc de blancs. It is sourced principally from Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and to a lesser extent from Oger, Chouilly, Cramant, Vertus and Bergères-lès-Vertus. ‘We are lucky to work with a huge quantity of wines from the Côte des Blancs, allowing us to choose the best samples for Comtes de Champagne each year,’ explains cellar master Loïc Dupont. ‘We look for the vats that represent the typicity of each cru, to build the expression of the vintage. Avize brings elegance, finesse and balance, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger contributes body and a subtle reduction akin to grilled bread, Chouilly delivers roundness, Cramant grilled almonds, and Oger elegant citrus.’ Just 5% is aged for four months in oak barrels, one-third new, and the rest up to four years old – not for strength, but to bring subtle notes of toast and brioche to the delicacy of chardonnay. Taittinger’s depth of reach into the Côte des Blancs grand crus has made Comtes de Champagne one of Champagne’s most consistent blanc de blancs..." Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide)