Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne 2011

Bottle Size: 75cl

Region: France: Champagne

Colour: White

Style: Sparkling

Grape Variety: Chardonnay

The 2011 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne has generated a certain amount of controversy in critical circles, with appraisals ranging from the condemnatory to the ecstatic, so I was curious to revisit a bottle with some more time on cork. Since I tasted it last year, the wine has tightened up a little, integrating its dosage and showing more of a structural backbone. Exhibiting aromas of crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, freshly baked bread and hints of fresh hazelnut, it's medium-bodied, pillowy and racy, with an impressively seamless palate and delicate but penetrating finish. It isn't a powerhouse, but I continue to think that it's a genuine success in a challenging year. 92 Points. Tasted November 2022. William Kelley. Robert Parker.