NV Taittinger - Champagne Brut La Francaise (750ml)

Taittinger's roots trace back to 1734, when Jacques Fourneaux founded what was then called Forest-Fourneaux, making it the third-oldest Champagne house still in operation. The Taittinger family, wine merchants by trade, took over the estate in 1932 and expanded its holdings during the Depression, when land in the region could be had cheaply. After a period under Starwood ownership, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger negotiated a buyback that returned the house to family hands, and it remains one of the few major Champagne producers still independently owned today. The house ages its top cuvées in ancient Roman-dug chalk caves beneath Reims, among the largest such cellars in the region.

Brut La Française is built from 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, and 25% Pinot Meunier, an unusually high share of Chardonnay for a non-vintage blend that gives the wine its characteristic lift and elegance. Grapes are drawn from more than thirty vineyards and several harvests, fermented in stainless steel, and blended with roughly 30% reserve wine for consistency. The wine then ages three to four years on the lees, well beyond the legal minimum, before a moderate dosage is added at disgorgement.

Golden yellow with fine, persistent bubbles, this Champagne offers citrus, orchard fruit, and toasted brioche, with hints of white flowers and vanilla. The palate is lively and well-balanced, finishing crisp and long. It pairs nicely with shellfish, soft cheese, or roast chicken.