Taittinger - Champagner Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 2013

JAMES SUCKLING: "Nervy and tight with notes of crushed almonds, chalk, white grapefruit, digestive biscuits, lemons and apricot stones. Hints of fennel and white pepper. Deep and mineral, with plenty of power. Very fine bubbles. Long drive at the end."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This beautiful Chardonnay from five top Grand Cru vineyards is textured with fruit that is still impressively perfumed. Its concentration has allowed it to remain perennially young. Although there are hints of toastiness, the Champagne has many more years of potential. Drink now and at least up to 2027."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2013 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne's bouquet is compellingly fresh and minty, revealing aromas of white fruit—notably pear and apple—marzipan and sweet spices, as well as a light touch of citrus mingled with classy autolytic notes. On the palate, this is a structured, tensile and ethereal Champagne with high acidity—a sign of a classic vintage—animated by a mousse of striking finesse and delicacy. Although already enjoyable, it should develop well for several decades."

DECANTER: "Cool and a little inscrutable on release, but the composed and expected clarity of flavour is all there: green mandarin, dried apple, white peach and croissant dough, sitting tightly wrapped with a touch of iodine and subtle char. A beautifully serene texture and gliding mousse deliver length, detail and quiet intensity. Patience is required for the initial sweet citrus to subside into something more complex, but when it does this shows signs of being a classic. 100% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs grand cru villages, with 5% oak fermentation."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Taittinger’s 2013 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs captures an abundance of finesse from Champagne’s cooler 2013 vintage. Mineral-rich and taut, it opens with honeyed notes of ripe citrus, poached nashi pear, butter wafers, and crème fraiche that gradually gain aromatic intensity as it unfurls. Light to medium-bodied, it has well-heeled, vibrant acidity that lends an energetic tension and freshness to the long, toasty finish. This subtly assertive and refined Comtes de Champagne should evolve beautifully with bottle age for 15+ years. Drink 2023-2040."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Pale lemony straw colour. This seems to have the characteristic intricate sort-of 'embroidered' nose – lots going on there but still delicate. Masses of lemon-curd flavours and a bit of something mineral. Much more refreshing than the 2011 rosé counterpart although there is lots of fruit on the finish too. The polar opposite of a grower's Zero Dosage! But very luxuriously textured and, with its marked acidity, definitely a champagne that will repay ageing."