Taittinger, Blanc de Blancs, Comtes de Champagne, 2011

Name: Taittinger, Blanc de Blancs, Comtes de Champagne
Brand: Taittinger
Price: 325.84 GBP

Available Vintages

all 1998 2011 2012 2013 2014

justerini & brooks tasting note

Having returned to family hands in 2006, this much-loved maison is enjoying a period of success. Their tête de cuvée is adored by connoisseurs for its hallmark finesse and detailed Blanc de Blancs style. Undoubtedly one of Champagne’s finest prestige cuvées, Blanc de Blancs or otherwise, it is rare for stock to remain on our list for long. The 2011 vintage is a worthy successor to the magnificent 2008 release, albeit from a strikingly different year. Marked by early ripening and a spring drought, the 2011 vintage benefited from the conditions at Champagne’s better sites. The fruit for the blend comes exclusively from the Côtes des Blancs villages of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Oger, where Taittinger’s Comte got it right. An expressive and beautifully refined nose bursts from the glass with notes of chalk, a spritz of scratched lemon peel, fresh butter, smoky lees, and a hint of blood orange peel, all rendered with great detail and delicacy. The palate is defined by impressive freshness and energy, as well as exceptional purity. Clean and invigorating, there’s an element of grapefruit sorbet that’s most engaging, accompanied by notes of blanched almonds, crushed chalk, and just a touch of green olive and citrus pith on the finish. Taut, steely, and very refreshing, this is a vintage with remarkable clarity.

critic reviews

97/100Jane Anson,Inside Bordeaux

We served this Champagne during the Connoisseur Week in 2022 also, and the last year has seen it deepen and gather complexity. If you have been holding on to it, I strongly suggest taking another look, as everything has pulled together, with the quince and brioche character more pronounced, along with smoked almonds and bright citrus. A Blanc de Blancs made entirely from Chardonnay grapes sourced from entirely from Grand Cru vineyards in Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger. 9 years on the lees, disgorged April 2021, 9 g/l dosage.

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2038

date of review 06/2023

92/100William Kelley,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2011 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne has generated a certain amount of controversy in critical circles, with appraisals ranging from the condemnatory to the ecstatic, so I was curious to revisit a bottle with some more time on cork. Since I tasted it last year, the wine has tightened up a little, integrating its dosage and showing more of a structural backbone. Exhibiting aromas of crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, freshly baked bread and hints of fresh hazelnut, it's medium-bodied, pillowy and racy, with an impressively seamless palate and delicate but penetrating finish. It isn't a powerhouse, but I continue to think that it's a genuine success in a challenging year.

DRINKING WINDOW 2022 - 2037

date of review 11/2022