Champagne Taittinger

Taittinger is one of Champagne's most famous houses. It is known for its Chardonnay-dominant cuvées, the pinnacle of which is the blanc de blancs prestige cuvée, Comtes de Champagne.

The family-owned estate has approximately 290 hectares (710 acres) of vines, around half of which is planted to Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay and a small amount of Pinot Meunier making up the rest. These vineyards contribute 50 percent of Taittinger's output, with the rest coming from growers who have historical relationships with the house.

Taittinger's Brut Reserve NV is composed of 40 percent Chardonnay, with the other two varieties making up the remainder. This makes for a fresh and reasonably delicate house style. In addition to this, Taittinger makes a range of Champagne styles, including a demi-sec, several rosés and an array of single-vineyard, vintage and otherwise limited-edition wines.

The Comtes de Champagne is Taittinger's top wine, and was first made in the 1952 vintage. The grapes are mostly sourced from grand cru vineyards including Avize, Chouilly and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Oak is used sparingly to impart flavors of brioche and grilled almonds, rather than to add any tannins or weight, and the bottles are kept for at least 10 years in the Saint-Nicaise chalk pits. Taittinger's flagship is considered as one of the most consistent blanc de blancs from the region.

The house was established under Pierre Taittinger in 1932. His son François took the reins in 1945 and built up the cellars and the vineyards, establishing Taittinger as a top Champagne house. In 2005, the company was sold to US investment group Starwood, but was bought back a year later by the family.

Most recently, Taittinger has established a vineyard in the English region of Kent.