Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut Grand Cru 2011
96 pt. Taittinger Comtes ROSE! A Must-Have for Every Champagne Collector!

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Why We Love It...
It was 1932 when a young cavalry officer named Pierre Taittinger fell head over heels in love with Champagne – in no small part because of the delectable wines produced there. He purchased the historic Château de la Marquetterie and developed a Champagne business with the help of his brother-in-law, Paul Eveque. Step by step, generation by generation, the Taittinger family has created one of the greatest houses of Champagne. For a brief moment, the estate was sold in 2005 to U.S.-based hotel group Starmont – which was followed (somewhat predictably) by a near revolution in France, that would eventually require the French government to intervene. The result was that remaining branches of the Taittinger family were brought together to resume familial control over the estate – and a country-wide pandemonium was narrowly averted. The house has thrived once again under the Taittinger family’s leadership, and the quality of these great wines has only increased over the past decade-plus.
This cuvée, which is always a single vintage, is made from all Grand Cru parcels, with 30% chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and 70% pinot noir from the Montagne de Reims region. The color stems from an addition of 15% of still red wine, which joins up the base bubbly during disgorgement after a full 144 months spent aging on the lees. The dosage is right in the middle of Brut at 9 grams per liter, which makes this pop with a luxuriously fruity and rich character.
The wine pours a vivid salmon, immediate sensations of pink roses, blood orange zest, and chervil – a developing note of crumbly shortbread biscuits. In the mouth, a persistent and powerful attack brings with it myriad citrus flavors – from more blood orange to pink grapefruits and salt-cured lemons. Red cherries and strawberries, plus salted watermelon and tart red plums, take shape over a few swirls in the glass, with a strong mineral component that winds through a long, pervasive finish. At over 12 years since harvest, this is a youthful wine that showcases a maturity that is sure to last for another decade at least. Tremendous stuff, and although it is splurgy – this is that rare top-end rosé Champagne that is absolutely worthy of the price!
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