2004 Champagne Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne, Blanc de Blancs, Brut
Description
Les Comtes is one of the greatest of all Chardonnay Champagnes, its fruit sourced from the finest Grand Cru sites of the Côte des Blancs. Blue chip provenance includes the villages of Avize, le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Cramant; it is the best of the best. Or, doubly appropriate given its luxuriant gustatory profile; la crème de la crème. 5% of the wine is aged in wood before spring bottling and the ensuing lengthy somnolence wherein the alchemical process of autolysis weaves its patient magic over nearly a decade.
2004 was an abundant crop, but also, unusually given its volume, one of high quality, especially in the south of the appellation and for the Chardonnay grape. Aromas of pear, greengage, bergamot and white flowers prove immediately attractive; the palate boasts precision, focus and a wonderful mousse bead. The immediate impression is of freshness and vitality; this is complemented by a profound yet subtle intensity that more than justifies the supreme reputation of this wine.
Berry Bros. & Rudd
-
Colour
White -
Sweetness
Dry -
Vintage
2004 -
Alcohol
12% -
Grape
Chardonnay -
Body
Medium Bodied -
Producer
Champagne Taittinger
Critics reviews
I am thrilled with the way the 2004 Comtes de Champagne continues to evolve in bottle. A few years ago, the 2004 was quite focused and linear, in the style of the vintage, but more recently, the wine has begun to fill out beautifully. The 2004 remains bright, with a full range of citrus, white flower and mineral nuances that dance on the palate. A brisk, saline-infused finish rounds things out beautifully in a Comtes that impresses for its crystalline purity. I expect the 2004 will always remain a bit cool next to the more opulent 2002, but it is still drop-dead gorgeous.
Drink 2014 - 2034
2004 provided a big harvest, with excellent ripeness and balance – another age-worthy vintage. The Comtes is a standout wine in this strong vintage, with pronounced, youthful aromas that range from lemon and mineral to exotic passion fruit and brioche. With a delicate and abundant mousse, lively acidity and plenty of extracts, this wine has charm, finesse and enough density to gently coat the palate and sustain it through a lovely, persistent finish.
Drink 2022 - 2040
Tasted blind. Putty and lively, very much more concentrated nose than its pair the 2002). Sweet with crème pâtissière on the palate. Dancing. Lemon posset. Flattering. More beguiling than its pair. Blind, this seemed more likely to have been the 2002.
Drink 2015 - 2028