Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2004

A wine of cut and vigour, 2004s had an atypical pumped-up sweetness to the fruit on release (often with a flowery-herbaceous edge). Now fully mature, the wine possesses a quilty, toasty bouquet. The oily Chardonnay maturity on the finish combines with the wine's underlying richness to give that succulent lemon-sweetness aroma to die for (a common feature of 20th-century releases of Comtes, less so in the 21st!). It will hold at this sublime level for the next few years, but it is definitely at its peak! Drink from 2023-2032. Tasted: 15-Dec-22.

It's fascinating to taste the 2004 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne after the 2002, something I have been able to do on a few occasions. The 2004 is all about minerality, precision and tension. It doesn't have the sheer richness or power of the 2002, but it makes up for that with its crystalline purity and sheer energy. Bright hints of lemon oil, white flowers and crushed rocks are layered into the pointed, vibrant finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2034.