TIMELESS ELLEGANCE WITH TAITTINGER CHAMPAGNE COLLECTION

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“I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not.” Coco Chanel

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Champagne has always been part of my life’s best celebrations but have you ever wondered why champagne is used to mark special occasions and what’s its significance?

Champagne is an elegant choice but this is not where it ends. The history of champagne goes all the way back to the 5th century and it has historically been associated with luxury and the parties of the royal courts and aristocracy of Europe. The expensive drink was viewed as a status symbol. Like so many iconic products, the evolution of Champagne is as much about marketing as it is about the drink itself.

The big Champagne houses like Moët et Chandon, Piper-Heidsieck, Louis Roederer, Veuve Clicquot and Tattinger began their establishments in the 18th century. They continued building on Champagne’s growing reputation as a drink of status and celebration by taking samples of their wines to Europe’s various Royal courts to win their patronage. They made every effort to associate their Champagnes with nobility and royalty through advertising and packaging.

By the early 20th Century, the rich and famous were already in the drink’s thrall and as the cost of Champagne started decreasing, more average members of society could afford it, but it still wasn’t affordable enough to enjoy every day.

At the end of the First World War, Winston Churchill famously said “Remember gentlemen, it’s not just France we’re fighting for, it’s Champagne.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald made Champagne synonymous with the Roaring Twenties in The Great Gatsby.

Twentieth Century icons like Coco Chanel made Champagne a part of their legends with her famous quote “I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love, or when I am not”.

Taittinger Champagne

Taittinger has been my favorite choice of a drink to celebrate for over 10 years now. Founded in 1734, the Taittinger Champagne headquarters are based in Reims.

The Taittinger family’s aim has always been the pursuit of excellence which cannot be denied.

The flagship champagnes of the house are (i) the Comtes de Champagne made with 100% white grapes from the 5 villages with Grands Crus classification for the Chardonnay grape and (ii) Comtes de Champagne Rosé made from 30% Chardonnay Grands Crus from the prestigious Côte des Blancs region and 70% Pinot Noir from the Grands Crus from the Montagne de Reims region.

If you are looking for an elegant celebratory drink with an excellent balance of structure and sophistication, Taittinger is the one. I have listed below a few of my favourites that have accompanied my celebratory moments for a number of years.

Taittinger – Brut Millésimée

The Taittinger Champagne House only creates a ‘cuvée millésimée’ when the grape harvest is of an outstanding quality. 5 years of maturing in the cellars ensures that the aromas slowly mature and develop the champagne’s complexity and long-lasting character.

The Taittinger Vintage Brut is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir, 70% of which are from Grand Crus vineyards with the other 30% Premier Crus. What does this mean though?

The Classification of Champagne

The classification of Champagne vineyards developed in the mid-20th century as a means of setting the price of grapes grown through the villages of the Champagne wine region.

The classification is broken down based on what village the vineyards are located in. Premier crus villages are rated between 90 and 99 percent while the highest rated villages, with 100% ratings are Grand crus.

I absolutely adore the lively fruity and floral aromas of Brut Millesime.  From white blossom bouquet (orchard flowers, lime blossom, honeysuckle) with aromas of fresh fruits (lemon, peach) to almond notes.

The palate is crispy and citrussy with excellent balance of structure and sophistication. The mid-palate is smooth with flavours of sugared pink grapefruit and the finish is long and complex, with both elegance and length.

The effervescence is lively, with abundant and very fine bubbles – just the way I like my glass of champagne.

Brut Millesime pairs well with delicate and refined dishes like fish, seafood, shellfish, summer fruits and white meat.

Grower: Taittinger
Grape Variety: Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
Style: Zesty and Complex
Country: France
Appellation: Champagne
Closure: Cork

Taittinger Brut Réserve

Taittinger Brut Réserve acquires its maturity during three and four years ageing in the cellar and is made from 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier. This subtle blend results in a light, elegant and balanced champagne known for its consistently excellent quality all over the world.

The body is golden yellow in colour with fine bubbles and lingering mousse.

The aroma is very expressive from fruit and brioche to the fragrance of peach, white flowers (hawthorn, acacia) and my favourite vanilla pod.

The palate is lively and fresh with flavours of fresh fruit and honey. It has considerable depth, yet is quite light in style with a subtle elegance and a long fresh finish. A great non-vintage brut.

Pairs well with seafood, shellfish, fish and white meat. I also like it with light desserts like panna cotta.

For me personally Taittinger Brut Réserve is the champagne for any occasion.

Brand: Taittinger
Country: France
Grape Varieties: 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier
Ageing: 3-4 years on the lees
Style: Brut
Closure: Cork

Taittinger Prélude Grands Crus Cuvée

Prélude Grands Crus Cuvée is an elegant mix of Chardonnay (50%) and Pinot Noir (50%) from the top Grands Crus vineyards classified as “100%” in the Champagne system.

Produced only using first press wines and matured over the period of 5 years in the cellars.

The brilliant body is pale yellow with silver highlights, a sign of the high proportion of Chardonnays.

The bubbles are fine and form a long lasting and delicately creamy ring of foam.

The champagne is subtle and fresh on the nose. The initial mineral aromas quickly develop into green apple and then floral notes with hints of spicy cinnamon undertones. These segue into much fuller and silkier with flavours reminiscent of white peaches. The finish is rich, lingering and extremely expressive.

This Cuvee is the perfect balance between freshness and an aromatic character and therefore an excellent aperitif or accompaniment to classic seafood dishes.

Brand: Taittinger
Country: France
Style: Brut
Closure: Cork
Champagne Crus: Grand Cru

Taittinger – Les Folies De Ls Marquetterie

Les Folies de la Marquetterie is a blend of Chardonnays (45%) and Pinot Noirs (55%), made exclusively from grapes grown at the Folies vineyard that overlooks Château de la Marquetterie, the birthplace of the Taittinger family champagne.

The bottles are aged for five years to bring this wine to complete harmony.

The body is deep yellow in colour with golden brown highlights and the bubbles are fine and delicate.

On the palate is it full-bodied, fruity and graceful with golden peach flavours and subtle hints of toasted brioche and vanilla The distinctive and expressive finish delivers lightly woody notes. Les Folies de la Marquetterie is a full-flavoured and distinguished by its immense richness and complexity.

The champagne is structured and powerful, and therefore pairs well with fish in sauce, parmesan, and roasted meats.

Brand: Taittinger
Country: France
Style: Brut
Closure: Cork

Taittinger – Nocturne

Taittinger Nocturne is a sweeter champagne, made from 40% Chardonnay and 60 % Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from 35 vineyards. It is the result of several harvests undertaken when the fruit had reached perfect maturity.

The uniqueness of its mix and its long maturation 4 years period in the cellars gives it its fullness and smoothness.

The body is pale yellow in colour with shimmering highlights and the bubbles form a delicate ring of fine foam.

The nose is subtle and fresh and with aromas of white blossom, ripe fruit and overtones of yellow peaches and dried apricots.

The palate is smooth and creamy dominated by flavors of raisins and fruit in syrup. The aftertaste is long and soft with a subtle sweetness.

Its sweetness and mellowness make it an ideal accompaniment to most desserts.

Brand: Taittinger
Country : France
Style: Semi-Sec
Closure: Cork

Taittinger Cellar Tour

If you planning a trip to France you may consider booking one of Taittinger cellar tours to learn the secrets and history behind the soul and style of the Champagne House.

What’s your favourite champagne and why?

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