Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/581407
october 2015 / the tasting panel / 59 in Auxey-Duresses, Burgundy. "To me, it's more like a family name, and behind that name is a following of many traditions, for almost a hundred years." For Andrieu, the terroir-focused approach is a unique aspect: "When I see Taittinger on the bottle, I see people with amazing skills who are transform- ing what nature has provided into a delightful Champagne." Driven by its estate-grown Chardonnay, Champagne Taittinger "generally has a more delicate, elegant, and feminine style," says Andrieu. Compared to other prestigious and sto- ried Champagne houses, Champagne Taittinger owns a greater proportion of their vines. As proprietor of approxi- mately 752 acres of vines in 34 different vineyards, and as the third-largest estate in Champagne, it draws about half of its fruit from its estate vineyards. Champagne Taittinger's major holdings in the esteemed Côte des Blancs vineyards, are the most significant determinant of their wines. It was François Taittinger, who ran the company between 1945 and 1960, who created Taittinger's Chardonnay-driven house style; it remains unchanged since then. Extended lees aging is also a hallmark of the wines, notes Heidi Turzyn, Wine Director at New York City's Gotham Grill, who has both the Comtes and the Brut "Prestige Rosé" on the list. "Their grand, tête du cuvée Champagne, their signature Comtes de Champagne, is aged on the lees for ten years," she says, pointing out that the legal requirement for vintage wines in Champagne is only three years on the lees. The extra time on the lees lends the Comtes de Champagne wines "texture, as well as a nice creaminess, that balances the acidity really nicely," says Turzyn. For Turzyn, there's a sense of trust when she sees the Champagne Taittinger label, and it's about more than a name: "They focus on working closely with their farmers and nego- ciants, to make sure the land is cared for," she notes. "It's a reassurance of how well they take care of the grapes, the land and what goes into the bottle." Despite the changing of the guard, Champagne Taittinger's 2006 Comtes de Champagne wines send a signal that the house style will not waver; these are wines of finesse, pillars of reliability that resist trends and instead rely on family traditions, so that quality stays high from one generation to the next. With the grandchildrn and great- grandchildren of Pierre Taittinger now running the estate, long-time fans of the Champagne house can expect continuity from the vineyards to the cellar. At Gotham Grill in NYC, Champagne Taittinger Brut Presitge Rosé offers a fresh and dry sparkler. Heidi Turzyn, Wine Director at NYC's Gotham Grill, says that Champagne Taittinger's commitment to working with farmers and negociants offers "reassurance of how well they take care of the grapes, the land and what goes into the bottle." PHOTO: TIMOTHY MURRAY PHOTO: TIMOTHY MURRAY