Wine Reviews

This toasty Champagne features flavors of lemon curd, brioche, glazed apricot and vanilla-infused pastry cream riding a fine, lively mousse. Well-meshed and creamy, animated by vibrant acidity through the spiced finish

Disgorged in September 2024 with a dosage of nine grams per liter, Taittinger’s 2016 Brut Millésimé is showing very well, offering aromas of white peach, nashi pear, brioche and burnt buttered toast. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, racy and precise, with an inviting core of fruit and a long, saline finish that will delight the house’s admirers. It is sourced from Mailly-Champagne, Ambonnay, Hautvillers, Écueil, Trépail, Vertus, Avize and Le Mesnil and is an equal blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Taittinger’s newly released 2018 Brut Millésimé, derived from a warm, dry and abundant vintage, offers a striking contrast to the incisive 2016. It delivers aromas of yellow apple, ripe peach, succulent pear and freshly baked bread. Medium- to full-bodied, with a sweet core of fruit, ripe yet vibrant acids, a pillowy mousse and a long, enveloping finish, it was disgorged in April 2025 with a dosage of nine grams per liter.

I like the toastiness of this savory, flavorful Champagne, showing dried flower, gingerbread, brioche, berry and oyster shell aromas. A hint of pralines, too. It’s layered with a medium body, fine bubbles and a long, silky finish.

Lovely fresh citrus, honeysuckle, white flower and honey aromas. It’s fresh, silky and elegant, with a medium body and gentle bubbles. Very clean, pure and classy.