2011 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne

Champagne Taittinger’s prestige cuvée Comtes de Champagne is a Blanc de Blancs only made in the best vintages. The grapes are sourced from all five Grand Cru villages in the Côte des Blancs – Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger, with the main base of the cuvée coming from Taittinger’s house vineyard surrounding the Château de la Marquetterie just south of Epernay. The Comtes 2011 has a very pure Chardonnay nose – with white flower and citrus fruit notes alongside lime jelly, mint, smoke and a touch of oyster shell. The wine already feels very open on the palate, with honeyed, yellow orchard fruit beautifully integrated with a fine bead of acidity – it’s almost seamless. As the wine develops on the palate, the tension builds. It is subtle but there is a lovely mineral persistence, and the flavours develop further on the long finish – the riper fruit tones intertwining with more lime sourness and a lovely, saline bitterness – but it is the textural elegance that is textbook Comtes Blanc de Blancs.

FINE+RARE  (September 2021)    Drink 2021-2035