Champagne Taittinger Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne Brut Grand Cru 2013

Distinguished by its commitment to meticulous craftsmanship, heritage, and Chardonnay excellence, Taittinger stands as one of Champagne's most esteemed and stylistically consistent houses. This 99 point Grand Cru Comtes de Champagne exemplifies this reputation, serving as a benchmark of elegance and precision in vintage Champagne. Today, save over $140 on this remarkable Champagne from one of the greatest vintages in recent history!

Established in 1734 as Forneaux Forest, this esteemed tête de cuvée house adopted the Taittinger name in 1932. Unlike many larger Champagne houses, Taittinger remains family-owned, ensuring a consistent style and long-term vision. The house is celebrated for its distinctive use of a high proportion of Chardonnay in its blends, which contributes to the wines' characteristic delicacy, freshness, and refined structure. Taittinger also possesses some of Champagne's most extensive vineyard holdings, including numerous highly-regarded parcels in Grand Cru villages. Their historic cellars, carved from Gallo-Roman chalk quarries beneath Reims, offer ideal aging conditions that enhance the complexity and purity of their wines.

Crafted exclusively from the five Grand Crus of the Côte des Blancs – Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Oger, and Mesnil-sur-Oger – this 100% Chardonnay earned a near-perfect 99 points from James Suckling, while Antonio Galloni of Vinous and Wine Enthusiast both awarded it 98 points, among other high accolades. The 2013 vintage is poised to be one of Champagne's finest, with Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs excelling despite a challenging growing season marked by cool weather and a late harvest.

This wine is a testament to both the varietal's purity and the finesse of its terroir, offering exceptional freshness, vibrant acidity, and remarkable aging potential. The nose is greeted with notes of Granny Smith apples, followed by freshly baked pastries, showcasing a crystalline purity in both aroma and flavor. On the palate, the wine expands with orange and lemon citrus zest, clementines, and spice-poached pears, accented by nutmeg and warm croissants. The finish is long and complex, revealing elements of smoked hay, crumbled chalk, struck flint, and fragrant green peppercorns, lingering on the tongue for minutes and in the mind for far longer. Without question, this is a triumph, every bit worthy of its reputation!

PAIRING IDEAS: Oysters or caviar might seem the obvious choice – and one we’d easily welcome – but another approach I love is pairing fried chicken with Champagne. The crunchy, crispy, salty bites offer a perfect counterpart to the effervescent and energetic bubbly. Sprinkle the chicken with some truffle salt to make it extra fancy!