Parker - Yohan Castaing 97, 2024 - 2054, 

Closed in style and character like the 2013, Taittinger's 2014 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne reveals aromas of ripe orchard fruit, confit citrus, dried flowers, herbs, spring blossoms and mirabelle mingled with customary autolytic notes. Full-bodied, seamless and enrobing, it has a delicate, elegant, fleshy core of fruit and racy acids, all enhanced by a saline, fresh and penetrating finish marked by finesse and elegance. This refined, chalky-inflected Comtes de Champagne has the potential to age gracefully over the next 30-40 years.

One of Champagne’s largest houses, Taittinger is also among the region’s biggest landholders, with 288 hectares of vineyards supplying about 40% of their production needs. Since regaining family control in 2006, Taittinger has only strengthened its reputation. Vinification is mainly in stainless steel, though around 30% of the small Folies de la Marquetterie cuvée is fermented in foudre. Since 1988, about 5% of the vins clairs for Comtes de Champagne have also spent some time in wood. Taittinger’s signature style focuses on purity and expressive fruit, gaining tension and adopting a gently reductive character as one moves up the range to the house’s flagship Comtes de Champagne bottlings. Known for its remarkable reliability and age-worthiness, Comtes consistently stands out as one of the best values among top-tier Champagnes, frequently outperforming many other Grandes Marques tête de cuvée offerings. The latest releases continue to embody these qualities. The 2014 Comtes de Champagne is a textbook example, closely aligned with its 2013 predecessor, while the 2012 Rosé, one of my favorite rosés in Champagne, marries concentration with precision in perfect balance.

Suckling 97, Apricots, hazelnuts, lemons, white flowers, sliced almonds and hints of licorice on the nose. It's creamy and layered, with soft, rounded bubbles that spread across the palate. Lovely balance of breadth, ripeness and freshness, with delicious wildflower honey and nut notes lingering. 100% grand cru chardonnay from Avize, Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Cramant and Chouilly. Drink or hold.