Comtes de Champagne is not made every year. Maison Taittinger's decision to produce a vintage is based entirely on tasting the still base wines and judging whether that specific year's Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs has reached a level worthy of the house's most exceptional cuvée — a philosophy so demanding that in over seventy years, fewer than forty-five vintages have ever been released. 2013 earned that distinction. The growing season was genuinely unusual: a long, cold winter delayed spring's arrival, grapes ripened slowly, and the harvest — one of the latest on record — didn't begin until October. Then, in an almost unprecedented turn, mid-April delivered over 800 hours of sunshine, a level of heat and dryness Champagne country had never before recorded for that stretch of the calendar.

The result is 100% Chardonnay, sourced exclusively from five Grand Cru villages on the Côte des Blancs — Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Chouilly, and Oger — a narrow twenty-kilometre strip of thousand-year-old chalk that acts as a natural reservoir of water and heat, giving these grapes their distinctive minerality, structural strength, and aromatic delicacy. Only the first-press juice is used. A small proportion of the blend, around 5%, is aged for several months in young oak barrels — one-third renewed each year — adding a whisper of body and subtle vanilla character without ever tipping the wine toward heaviness. Then, eighteen metres below ground, in Gallo-Roman chalk galleries carved beneath Saint-Nicaise Hill that were once the property of a medieval abbey, the wine rests on its lees for a full decade before disgorgement.

Wine Enthusiast awarded 98 Points, calling it "one of the most explosive, extroverted Comtes I have ever tasted" — rich, sumptuous, soaring from the glass with tropical fruit, apricot, passion fruit, baked apple tart, mint, and yellow flowers. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded 96 Points: "the Marilyn Monroe of Champagne, with voluptuous notes of lemon meringue, poached apricot, black cherry, brioche and candied ginger trimmed nicely by sleek, mouthwatering acidity. A minerally underpinning of smoke and oyster shell pushes through to drive the finish. It's hard to stop sipping this bright and harmonious bubbly." The food critic Périco Légasse once called Comtes de Champagne simply "the Montrachet of Champagne" — a comparison that, in this vintage, feels less like flattery and more like a straightforward statement of fact.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is Maison Taittinger's most exceptional cuvée, produced only in vintages the house deems worthy — a decision made entirely by tasting the still base wines, with no fixed schedule or annual obligation. The wine is composed exclusively of Chardonnay sourced from five Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs: principally Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, which provide the cuvée's structural backbone and finesse, alongside Chouilly for body and strength, and smaller contributions from Cramant and Oger. Much of the fruit comes directly from vineyards owned by the Taittinger family, allowing exceptional continuity of style from vintage to vintage. All grapes are farmed without synthetic herbicides or pesticides.

Only the first-press juice is used in the blend. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, followed by full malolactic fermentation, and approximately 5% of the wine — primarily from Chouilly — is aged for three to four months in young oak barrels, with one-third of the barrels renewed each year, contributing subtle body and a whisper of vanilla and toast without oxidative heaviness. Prior to disgorgement, the wine rests for a full decade on its lees, eighteen metres underground in Gallo-Roman chalk galleries carved beneath Saint-Nicaise Hill, once the property of the Saint-Nicaise abbey. The cuvée's name and label seal honor Thibaut IV, the medieval Count of Champagne whose former residence has belonged to the Taittinger family since 1932. Dosage has steadily decreased across the decades — from roughly 17 g/L in the 1980s to approximately 8-9 g/L today, reflecting both evolving stylistic preference and the effects of warmer growing seasons on natural grape acidity. Taittinger's disgorgement regime uses ascorbic acid in the liqueur d'expédition alongside jetting — a high-speed micro-spray technique — providing enhanced protection against oxidation while allowing reduced sulphur dioxide use.

Critics Reviews

Wine Enthusiast — 98 Points:
"Rich, sumptuous and explosive, the 2013 soars out of the glass with a captivating mix of tropical fruit, apricot, passion fruit, baked apple tart, mint and yellow flowers. It is one of the most explosive, extroverted Comtes I have ever tasted. Impressive."

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Yohan Castaing) — 96 Points:
"The Marilyn Monroe of Champagne, with voluptuous notes of lemon meringue, poached apricot, black cherry, brioche and candied ginger trimmed nicely by sleek, mouthwatering acidity. A minerally underpinning of smoke and oyster shell pushes through to drive the finish. It's hard to stop sipping this bright and harmonious bubbly. Drink now through 2038."

James Suckling (96+ Points):
"Derived from a long, slow ripening season marked by cool nights and an October harvest, it is slightly less acid-driven and a touch fleshier than the 2008, offering up a deep bouquet of nashi pear, lemon confit, freshly baked bread, almond paste and a gentle smoky reduction edge. On the palate, it is full-bodied and incisive, with a concentrated core of fruit, bright acids and considerable tension, culminating in a persistent, saline finish."

Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide — 98 Points:
"Some candy tones and juicy fruit on the vibrant palate of pristine fruit quality. Aptly dosed, deliciously fruity finish. This will greatly reward ageing... The sheer expanse of Taittinger's sourcing from the greatest chardonnay crus and the intricate fanaticism of its winemaking team makes Comtes a legendary blanc de blancs."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 — 96 Points:
"Glistening with lemon rain, ripe peach, apple and oozing with lush vanilla pastry. Deeply delicious and lingering with a burst of quince on the dreamy finish."

Wine Spectator — 96 Points:
"Fantastic complexity here with aromas of toast, biscuit, lemon, almond, chalk and some fennel. It's long, sleek and mineral, with tight, very fine bubbles and so much tension and precision. Very long and chalky finish."

International Wine Challenge — Gold:
"Beautiful pristine fruit followed by a crisp layer of fresh notes of almonds and cashews. Hints of apple blossom and lemon curd. Really complex and yuzu citrus finish notes that add lift and interest."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Crystal clear, with a beautiful golden shimmer through straw yellow and reflections of gold. The nose soars with tropical fruit, apricot, and passion fruit, joined by baked apple tart, mint, and yellow flowers in an unusually explosive and extroverted opening for this cuvée. Nashi pear, lemon confit, and freshly baked bread add layered complexity, alongside almond paste and a gentle smoky reduction edge. Toast, biscuit, chalk, and a touch of fennel round out an aromatic profile of genuine fanatical precision.

Palate
Voluptuous and full-bodied, opening with lemon meringue, poached apricot, black cherry, brioche, and candied ginger — trimmed by sleek, mouthwatering acidity that keeps the richness in perfect balance. The wine's effervescence unfurls into an invigorating sensation, carrying a concentrated core of fruit, bright acids, and considerable tension. Fine, very fine bubbles and striking purity of aroma extend the wine's energy with genuine dynamism.

Finish
Long, sleek, and mineral — a minerally underpinning of smoke and oyster shell drives the close, tightening to leave a lingering taste imbued with ginger and licorice. Persistent, saline, and chalky, with a burst of quince at the very end. Drink now through 2038, with the potential to develop for decades beyond in magnum format.

Quick Overview

Category	Details
Appellation	Champagne AOC — Côte des Blancs, France
Style	Prestige Cuvée Blanc de Blancs Brut
Vintage	2013
Producer	Maison Taittinger
Variety	100% Chardonnay
Source Villages	Avize · Le Mesnil-sur-Oger · Chouilly · Cramant · Oger (all Grand Cru)
Production	Only in exceptional vintages — fewer than 45 vintages ever released
Pressing	First-press juice only
Fermentation	Stainless steel + full malolactic
Oak	~5% aged 3-4 months in young oak barrels (1/3 renewed annually)
Lees Aging	10 years — 13th-century Gallo-Roman chalk cellars, Saint-Nicaise Hill
Dosage	~8-9 g/L
Disgorgement	December 2023
2013 Vintage	Long cold winter, late October harvest, unprecedented 800+ hours of April sunshine
Critics	Wine Enthusiast 98 · Robert Parker/Wine Advocate 96 · Wine Spectator 96 · Decanter 96 · Tyson Stelzer 98
Named For	Thibaut IV, medieval Count of Champagne — residence owned by Taittinger family since 1932
Style / Identity	Explosive, tropical-fruit-forward, mineral-driven Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs
Aromas & Flavors	Tropical fruit, apricot, passion fruit, baked apple tart, lemon meringue, black cherry, brioche, candied ginger, oyster shell, smoke, chalk
Drinking Window	Now through 2038+
Bottle Size	750ml

Food Pairings

Seafood, shellfish, and fish entrées — the producer's own specific recommendation
Lobster and crab with citrus butter
Oysters
Sushi and sashimi
Soft, delicate cheeses

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