Champagne Taittinger - Brut Réserve

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

Fruitiness, freshness, spirit: already a definition of champagne. Today, it is one of the best non-vintage brut champagnes.

About the estate:

From its vineyards to the presentation of its cuvées, Taittinger has become a shining example for Champagne and wine in general. All of its wines—not just the most prestigious ones—are brilliant representatives of a classic Champagne style, based on an aperitif-like elegance that is fresh and lively. Each cuvée also has its own personality, with the prestige cuvée Comtes de Champagne Blanc at the top of the range, made exclusively from Chardonnays from six grands crus in the Côte des Blancs, and an unforgettable rosé of great finesse. The days when non-vintage brut was the house's weak point are long gone: light, floral, and fruity, it is a delightful aperitif. The rest of the range is equally brilliant, spirited, and dynamic.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Alexandre Fourneaux produced still wines in Rilly-la-Montagne. His son established a wine merchant business in 1734. Two centuries later, in 1936, Pierre Taittinger became the main shareholder of the Forest-Fourneaux company, to which he gave his name. In 2005, it came under the control of an American pension fund, but was bought back by the family a year later. The business is now run by Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger. Before moving to the historic site of Butte Saint-Nicaise, it was based at the Hôtel des Comtes de Champagne, hence the name of its prestigious cuvée. The house has 4th-century chalk cellars and a vast vineyard (288 hectares). Chardonnay is its emblematic grape variety.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

The latest vintage of the non-vintage brut cuvée is consistent with the house style, intensely marked by Chardonnay, which gives it a lovely elegance and creaminess.

About the estate:

The flamboyant P.E.T. (Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger), now surrounded by his children Vitalie and Clovis and a rejuvenated team, is putting this major house back on track, with its historic chalk cellars and a treasure trove of vineyards (including rare massal selections and 180 hectares cultivated without herbicides). "The future of Taittinger is not so much about increasing volumes as it is about increasing the proportion of luxury cuvées in our offering," explains Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, placing particular emphasis on the Comtes de Champagne cuvée. The dosage (a constant 9 grams/liter) is defended here as a "flavor enhancer, essential in non-vintage bruts." In recent years, we have noticed an increase in the density of the wines.