JS97: A firm, fresh Comtes with a tight and composed palate. It’s full-bodied with a racy mid-palate. Long and persistent. Very structured with phenolics and acidity. Minerally. Floral, too. Refreshing and energetic. September 2021 release. Drink or hold.

JD96: From the Grand Crus of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Oger, the 2012 Champagne Blanc De Blancs Comtes De Champagne comes back swinging after last year's release and assumes a more noble and layered profile. Displaying a bright golden yellow hue, it has fantastic aromatic complexity, with wonderful custardy and classic aromas of lemon curd, crème brûlée, shortbread, and honeysuckle. The nose is hard to resist, and on the palate, it’s full-bodied, with a refined and pillowy mousse and a delicate warmth on the finish. It hits a lot of the right marks in this vintage, offering plenty of purity and balance, and will certainly provide a very wide drinking window for enjoyment. It’s just such a pleasurable wine, 2012 marks an exceptional return for this cuvée, which will have another 2-3 decades of life ahead.

Without question one of the world's greatest Champagnes, Taittinger's Comtes de Champagne is among our favorites. Fresh and pure, it is the finest example of the Taittinger style and is always vintage-dated. 100% Chardonnay from the Grands Crus of the Côte des Blancs, it rests in Taittinger’s chalk caves for up to 10 years before release. It is the quintessential blanc de blancs and a must-have for any Champagne lover.