Taittinger 2013 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 750ml

Comtes deChampagne is not made every year.Maison Taittinger's decision to producea vintage is based entirely ontasting the still base wines andjudging whether that specific year'sChardonnay from the Côte des Blancs hasreached a level worthy of the house'smost exceptional cuvée — a philosophyso demanding that in over seventyyears, fewer than forty-five vintageshave ever been released. 2013earned that distinction. The growingseason was genuinely unusual:a long, cold winter delayed spring'sarrival, grapes ripened slowly, and theharvest — one of the latest on record —didn't begin untilOctober. Then, in an almostunprecedented turn, mid-Aprildelivered over 800 hours of sunshine, alevel of heat and drynessChampagne country had never beforerecorded for that stretch of thecalendar.

The result is100% Chardonnay, sourced exclusivelyfrom five Grand Cru villages on theCôte des Blancs — Avize, LeMesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Chouilly, andOger — a narrow twenty-kilometre stripof thousand-year-old chalk that acts asa natural reservoir of water and heat,giving these grapes their distinctiveminerality, structural strength, andaromatic delicacy. Only the first-pressjuice is used. A small proportion ofthe blend, around 5%, is aged forseveral months in young oak barrels —one-third renewed each year — adding awhisper of body and subtle vanillacharacter without ever tipping the winetoward heaviness. Then, eighteen metresbelow ground, in Gallo-Roman chalkgalleries carved beneath Saint-NicaiseHill that were once the property of amedieval abbey, the wine rests on itslees for a full decade beforedisgorgement.

Wine Enthusiast awarded98 Points, calling it"one of the most explosive,extroverted Comtes I have ever tasted"— rich, sumptuous, soaringfrom the glass with tropical fruit,apricot, passion fruit,baked apple tart, mint, and yellowflowers. Robert Parker'sWine Advocate awarded 96 Points: "theMarilyn Monroe of Champagne, withvoluptuous notes of lemon meringue,poached apricot, black cherry,brioche and candied ginger trimmednicely by sleek, mouthwateringacidity. A minerally underpinning ofsmoke and oyster shell pushesthrough to drive the finish. It's hardto stop sipping this bright andharmonious bubbly." The food criticPérico Légasse once called Comtes deChampagne simply "theMontrachet of Champagne" — a comparisonthat, in this vintage, feels less likeflattery and more like astraightforward statement of fact.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Comtesde Champagne Blanc de Blancs is MaisonTaittinger's most exceptional cuvée,produced only in vintages the housedeems worthy — a decision made entirelyby tasting the still base wines, withno fixed schedule or annual obligation.The wine is composed exclusively ofChardonnay sourced from five Grand Cruvillages of the Côte des Blancs:principally Avize and LeMesnil-sur-Oger, which provide thecuvée's structural backbone andfinesse, alongside Chouilly for bodyand strength, and smaller contributionsfrom Cramant and Oger. Much of thefruit comes directly from vineyardsowned by the Taittinger family,allowing exceptional continuity ofstyle from vintage to vintage. Allgrapes are farmed without syntheticherbicides or pesticides.

Only thefirst-press juice is used in the blend.Fermentation takes place in stainlesssteel, followed by full malolacticfermentation, and approximately 5% ofthe wine — primarily from Chouilly — isaged for three to four months in youngoak barrels, with one-third of thebarrels renewed each year, contributingsubtle body and a whisper of vanillaand toast without oxidative heaviness.Prior to disgorgement, the wine restsfor a full decade on its lees, eighteenmetres underground in Gallo-Roman chalkgalleries carved beneath Saint-NicaiseHill, once the property of theSaint-Nicaise abbey. The cuvée's nameand label seal honor Thibaut IV, themedieval Count of Champagne whoseformer residence has belonged to theTaittinger family since 1932. Dosagehas steadily decreased across thedecades — from roughly 17 g/L in the1980s to approximately 8-9 g/L today,reflecting both evolving stylisticpreference and the effects of warmergrowing seasons on natural grapeacidity. Taittinger's disgorgementregime uses ascorbic acid in theliqueur d'expédition alongside jetting— a high-speed micro-spray technique —providing enhanced protection againstoxidation while allowing reducedsulphur dioxide use.

Critics Reviews

Wine Enthusiast — 98 Points:
"Rich,sumptuous and explosive, the 2013 soarsout of the glass with a captivating mixof tropical fruit, apricot, passionfruit, baked apple tart, mint andyellow flowers. It is one of the mostexplosive, extroverted Comtes I haveever tasted. Impressive."

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Yohan Castaing) — 96 Points:
"TheMarilyn Monroe of Champagne, withvoluptuous notes of lemon meringue,poached apricot, black cherry, briocheand candied ginger trimmed nicely bysleek, mouthwatering acidity. Aminerally underpinning of smoke andoyster shell pushes through to drivethe finish. It's hard to stop sippingthis bright and harmonious bubbly.Drink now through 2038."

James Suckling (96+ Points):
"Derived from a long, slow ripeningseason marked by cool nights and anOctober harvest, it is slightly lessacid-driven and a touch fleshier thanthe 2008, offering up a deep bouquet of nashipear, lemon confit, freshly bakedbread, almond paste and a gentle smokyreduction edge. On the palate, it isfull-bodied and incisive, with aconcentrated core of fruit, brightacids and considerable tension,culminating in a persistent, salinefinish."

Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide — 98 Points:
"Some candy tones and juicyfruit on the vibrant palate of pristinefruit quality. Aptly dosed, deliciouslyfruity finish. This will greatly rewardageing... The sheer expanse ofTaittinger's sourcing from the greatestchardonnay crus and the intricatefanaticism of its winemaking team makesComtes a legendary blanc de blancs."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 — 96 Points:
"Glistening with lemon rain,ripe peach, apple and oozing with lushvanilla pastry. Deeply delicious andlingering with a burst of quince on thedreamy finish."

Wine Spectator — 96 Points:
"Fantastic complexity here with aromas oftoast, biscuit, lemon, almond, chalkand some fennel. It's long, sleek andmineral, with tight, very fine bubblesand so much tension and precision. Verylong and chalky finish."

International Wine Challenge — Gold:
"Beautiful pristine fruit followed bya crisp layer of fresh notes of almondsand cashews. Hints of apple blossom andlemon curd. Really complex and yuzucitrus finish notes that add lift andinterest."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Crystal clear, with abeautiful golden shimmer through strawyellow and reflections of gold. Thenose soars with tropical fruit,apricot, and passion fruit, joined bybaked apple tart, mint, and yellowflowers in an unusually explosive andextroverted opening for this cuvée.Nashi pear, lemon confit, and freshlybaked bread add layered complexity,alongside almond paste and a gentlesmoky reduction edge. Toast, biscuit,chalk, and a touch of fennel roundout an aromatic profile of genuinefanatical precision.

Palate
Voluptuous and full-bodied, opening withlemon meringue, poached apricot,black cherry, brioche, and candiedginger — trimmed by sleek,mouthwatering acidity that keeps therichness in perfect balance. Thewine's effervescence unfurls into aninvigorating sensation, carrying aconcentrated core of fruit, brightacids, and considerable tension. Fine,very fine bubbles and striking purityof aroma extend the wine's energy withgenuine dynamism.

Finish
Long,sleek, and mineral — a minerallyunderpinning of smoke and oyster shelldrives the close, tightening toleave a lingering taste imbued withginger and licorice. Persistent,saline, and chalky, with a burst ofquince at the very end. Drink nowthrough 2038, with the potential todevelop for decades beyond in magnumformat.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Seafood, shellfish, and fish entrées —the producer's own specificrecommendation
• Lobster and crab withcitrus butter
• Oysters
• Sushi andsashimi
• Soft, delicate cheeses