Wine Reviews
In keeping with the style of the year, the 2016 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is one of the most delicate Rosés I have tasted at Taittinger. It will be interesting to see how it develops over the next few years, as it is still a few years away from release. There’s quite a bit of potential here, especially if it fleshes out in bottle. Dosage is 9 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 2025.
The 2015 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is airy, gracious and ethereal. Crushed flowers, herbs, mint, sage, orange peel and cranberry are beautifully lifted. There’s terrific energy and tension here. Like the Blanc, the Rosé is a bit firm at this stage. There’s a touch of vintage 2015 savory character, but it is not dominant or overpowering. Dosage is 9 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 2025.
The 2014 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is soft and a bit more open than the 2013 tasted alongside it, which suggests it will drink well pretty much on release. Already quite harmonious and put together, the 2014 is quite showy. Time in the glass brings out gorgeous mid-palate creaminess and breadth. Kirsch, new leather, cedar, tobacco, mint and dried flowers build nicely. Dosage is 9 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 2025.
Early indications from the first tasting of this wine in summer 2025 were that this may turn out as a milestone for Comtes de Champagne Rosé, which has always been a rather different beast from the more famous Blanc de Blancs. The heady, fruit-forward Pinot Noir focus is still there, but it seems to have been straightened, polished and tightened even in this extroverted vintage. It has yielding a blend that offers abundance of fruit (redcurrant, peach, pomegranate and cherry) but framed in an alluringly silky, racy Chardonnay-influenced texture that pushes through with beautiful length and subtle brown pastry and crême patissière richness. It wears its 14% red wine – high for modern Champagne – deftly, treading a beautiful line between purity and generosity.
Pouring a deep pink hue, the 2012 Champagne Blanc De Blancs Comtes de Champagne Rose opens on the nose with very pretty wild raspberries, spices, and classic incense. It’s fruity but weightless, medium to full-bodied, and floats on the palate with mouthwatering acidity and candied grapefruit. Drink 2026-2055.
