It was the 46th “Great Rarities Tasting” organized by Armin Diel, the legendary wine critic and former winery owner. And the very first one dedicated to champagne. After handing over the Schlossgut Diel estate to his daughter Caroline, Diel has turned his attention to highly exclusive wine tours and tastings (more here). He draws on his excellent contacts in Burgundy and Bordeaux to select the wines. The fact that Maison Taittinger is now launching a small series of tastings featuring top champagne houses shows how highly he regards them. This was very much in line with my own preferences, and I was therefore delighted that Armin Diel invited me to the Nahe region for this occasion. After the event, he offered to summarize our tasting notes. In fact, we were both surprised at how close our judgments were. So, for the first time at Sur-la-pointe, the following ratings are a joint effort.
Tasting 1: Loss and rebirth 2005 to today
The period from 2005 to the current 2013 vintage includes some great Comtes vintages. The ratings for the two most recent vintages are perhaps a little conservative. But 2012 and 2013 are incredibly young at the moment and should definitely be given some more time to mature. Interestingly, the break in tradition between 2005 and 2007 did not harm the continuity of the champagne. At that time, the Reims-based maison, whose roots date back to 1734, fell into the hands of a US investment company for a short time. In 2007, the family was able to buy back the company through an enormous effort (more on this here). Today, Vitalie Taittinger is the first woman to head the house.
2013: Lively perlage, expressive bouquet, ginger, peach and pineapple, pronounced yeast notes. Restrained acidity, very good structure. Still a little baby fat, slightly exotic finish (95 points).
2012: Very youthful bouquet, reminiscent of blanched almonds and candied citrus fruits, stone fruits, Williams Christ pear. Still quite closed, invigorating acidity (94 points).
2011: Straw yellow color with subtle golden reflections. Aroma of greengage, licorice, and meringue, honey, fresh bread, clear fruit, and spicy notes. Cool on the palate, medium length (92 points).
2008: Medium yellow color with golden reflections. Aroma of orange blossom, nuts, and brioche. Great acidity and mint, has reached its first plateau. Complex, salty finish, magnificent aftertaste (97+ points).
2007: Golden yellow color, subtle mousse. Initial signs of maturity in the aroma, white flowers, pear, raisins, apricot, a hint of smoke and aniseed. Fruity sweetness on the palate, medium density, good acidity, quite elegant (94 points).
2006: Dense golden yellow color, subtle perlage. Aromas of mandarin, lemon tart, and sourdough. Dense texture, generous fruitiness, fine acidity, a brilliant soloist (96 points).
2005: Pale yellow color, classic bouquet: buttercream, toast notes, apple, hazelnut, salty notes. Dense on the palate, present acidity. Pairs brilliantly with crab and fish dishes, an archetypal Comtes (95 points).
Tasting 2: The classic era 1971 to 2004
The years before 2005 differ climatically from the present due to their cooler and longer growing season, with the exception of 2003. In addition, 2004 marks the last vintage of the Maison as a classic family business of the Taittinger dynasty.
2004: Not as sensual as 2006, not as dense as 2005. Some green apple, pear and toast, fresh and pure, medium elegance, good acidity. One of the largest harvests in the history of the Comtes (93 points).
2002: Pale golden color, generous bouquet: candied fruit and pastry cream, complemented by citrus fruits, pear and almonds. Perfect balance, ageless beauty, great aging potential (98 points).
1998: Welcome to the world of mature champagne: golden yellow color, dried apricot, brioche, and honey. Very good structure, exceptional finesse, slightly salty. Perfect with food, ideal with white poultry (95 points).
1997: Golden yellow color, fine mousse. Aromas of acacia blossom, grated lemon zest, and coffee. Well-balanced body, perfectly mature, structured, and elegant, with lovely acidity and a salty finish (95 points).
1995: Golden yellow color, restrained mousse. The first bottle had a distinct cork flavor, the second showed vegetal notes, tea leaves, and light tobacco. Restrained fruit, vanilla notes in the passable finish (89 points).
1988: Deep golden yellow, hardly any perlage. Malty sherry notes, hardly any fruit left, still intact, but clearly past its peak. Delicately tart notes on the finish (88 points).
1971: Golden yellow with a brownish hue. Aromas of aniseed and licorice, strongly matured, distinct Chardonnay on the palate, delicately tart finish. Something for lovers of vintage cars with H license plates (88 points).
Tasting 3: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Grands Crus Rosé Brut
Even more exclusive than the classic Blanc is the Comtes de Champagne Rosé. It was presented in 1972 with the 1966 vintage as a counterpart to the white Comtes. Like the latter, it is bottled in the characteristic antique bottle from the 18th century. Originally, Chardonnay dominated the blend with 70 percent compared to Pinot Noir with 30 percent, but today the ratio is exactly the opposite. The red wines come from the Montagne de Reims (Mailly, Ambonnay, and Bouzy), with between 12 and 16 percent from Bouzy vinified as red still wines. The Chardonnays come from Grands Crus villages on the Côte des Blancs. The dosage is around 9 grams. The Comtes Rosé is still considered the Maison’s longest-lived champagne.
2006: Cherries, blackcurrant liqueur, a hint of botrytis, meaty body. Goes well with lamb and veal dishes (91 points).
2009: Salmon pink with amber reflections, significantly finer than the 2006. Sensual bouquet, lots of red wild berries, blood orange, sour cherry, a hint of brioche, nuanced fruit, fine texture (94 points).
2012: Dark salmon red with copper highlights. Still youthful bouquet, fine Pinot character, strawberry, mandarin, spices, rich on the palate. Currently, the dosage is slightly in the foreground (94 points).
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