Taittinger | Prelude – NV

Introduction

Sparkling Wine: Taittinger | Prelude – NV

Fine and lacy in texture, this clean-cut Champagne in an aperitif style offers a subtle mix of patisserie apple and pear, lemon zest, pickled ginger and orchard blossom notes. Fresh, with a lightly toasty finish.

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Producer: Taittinger

Ratings: WA | 93 WE | 94

Vintage: NV

Size: 750ml

ABV: 12.5%

Varietal: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Country/Region: France, Champagne

Fine and lacy in texture, this clean-cut Champagne in an aperitif style offers a subtle mix of patisserie apple and pear, lemon zest, pickled ginger and orchard blossom notes. Fresh, with a lightly toasty finish.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The NV Brut Prlude Grands Crus has a very clear, complex and fresh yet intense bouquet, currently with more Pinot and walnut/macadamia flavors rather than Chardonnay flavors. Almond biscuits and fine brioche aromas come through only on the second nose. Bottled in 2012, this should be based on the 2011 vintage. It is a full-bodied, fine and elegant but also very complex and persistent Prlude that was sourced in only grand cru vineyards. Disgorged in October 2016 (dosage: nine grams per liter), tasted in November 2017.

• Wine Enthusiast: Made from only Grand Cru vineyards, this ripe, full and wonderfully textured wine is rich and complex. It brings out tangy orange and lemon zest, a tightly mineral texture, fragrant fruit and acidity. Dense and concentrated, the wine would benefit from some bottle age to bring out all its flavors.

Producer Information

Taittinger is one of Champagne’s most famous houses. Based in the city of Reims, Taittinger is known for its Chardonnay-dominant cuves, the pinnacle of which is the blanc de blancs prestige cuve, 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 two Pinots 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 ross 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 across Aviz, 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. The bottles are kept for at least 10 years in the underground chalk galleries beneath the former Saint-Nicaise Abbey in Reims (now the Taittinger headquarters). Taittinger’s flagship is considered one of the most consistent blanc de blancs (effectively a Chardonnay-only Champagne) from the region. Taittinger also produces a somewhat rarer Comtes de Champagne Brut Ros. The blend for this wine is more Pinot Noir-dominant with only 30 percent Chardonnay in the base wine and 15 percent of the Pinot Noir vinified as a red wine (in other words, fermented on skins) prior to blending. The house was established under Pierre Taittinger in 1932. His son Franois 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.