TaittingerComtesdeChampagneBlancdeBlancs2014Magnum

Originally known as Forest-Fourneaux with history dating back to 1734 and in 1932 Pierre Taittinger bought the House and the Taittinger label was born. A century of incredible growth saw Taittinger become one of the biggest producers and today is one of the last big independent, family-owned Houses. Pierre-Emmanuel retired in 2019 and was succeeded as President by his daughter Vitalie. They own 288-hectares of vineyards and the Taittinger style is the high percentage of Chardonnay. In 2017 Taittinger received two environmental accreditations: the ‘Viticulture Durable en Champagneâ€?(Sustainable vine-growing in Champagne) and the Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE â€?High environmental sustainability.)rrTaittinger Comtes de Champagne is a prestige cuvée Blanc de Blancs made entirely from Chardonnay grapes sourced from the best Grand Cru vineyards in the prestigious Côte des Blancs region. It is only produced when the harvest is of exceptional quality worthy of a vintage year. Winemaking methods involve strictly using just the first press juice and ageing 5% of the wines for four months in new oak barrels â€?a third of which are renewed every year â€?to enhance the intrinsic qualities and complexities of the final blend. Presented in 18th century antique style bottles, this hand-crafted champagne is aged eighteen metres underground in the UNESCO status Saint-Nicaise cellars in Reims for a minimum of eight years before being released.rrWeather: 2014 was characterised by mild temperatures and frequent rainfall and a few weeks of high temperatures, a very solid vintage with good ripeness and acidity. The year 2014 revealed itself late in fact, it was one of the last vintages to be harvested in October. Spring was slow to arrive after an especially long and cold winter. By mid-April, an exceptional summer began: warm, dry and bright, with over 800 hours of sunshine a record for Champagne! The grapes developed with remarkable strength and vitality. A few light showers in early September helped the bunches gain in volume and ripeness. rrTechnical Information:rVineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, OgerrGrape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay rLees ageing: 8 yearsrDisgorged: April 2024rDosage: 8 g/lrDrink: Now to 2035+rrTasting Note: The 2014 Comtes de Champagne is pristine. In this tasting, it comes across as a mini-2008, similar in its linear personality, with just a touch more mid-palate creaminess. Readers will find a Comtes that plays in the realm of tension and energy. Citrus confit, white flowers, chalk, mint and chamomile are all finely sketched. Light tropical overtones grace the finish. What an absolute delight. â€?Tasted by Antonio Galloni