Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2007

Taittinger's prestigious Comtes de Champagne is composed entirely of Chardonnay grapes from the Grand Cru villages of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger (Côte des Blancs). The citrus-golden colored 2007 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is the fourth in a row after the 2004 vintage (which will be followed by 2008 whereas there will be no Comtes from 2009, 2010 and 2011) and opens with a nobly intense yet nuanced bouquet of ripe fruits, chalk, iodine and a touch of brioche. The wine indicates a coolish and precise character on the clear, flinty nose that develops lemon, pastry and floral notes. On the palate, this is Taittinger at its best: clear, fresh, lush and elegant, offering both sensuality and noble elegance. The 2007 reveals great finesse and is a perfect expression of both the Taittinger style and the Côte de Blancs. The wine (of which 5% has spent four months in oak barrels to give roundness and a touch of toast) is tightly woven, well concentrated and even juicy yet always clear, fresh, pure, fine and elegant. The finish is intense, clean, vivacious and complex, with good grip and lingering salty minerals that indicate good aging potential. Drink 2018-2030.

The 2007 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne continues to show very well, and it hasn't evolved appreciably since I last tasted it a few months ago. Revealing a pretty bouquet of lemon oil, lily pollen, dried white flowers, blanched almonds and crushed chalk, it's medium to full-bodied, chiseled and tensile, with excellent depth at the core, racy acids and a pure, precise and notably chalky finish. Tight-knit without being austere, it's a very classically balanced middleweight Comtes that has a long future ahead of it.

A pale straw colour in the glass, this has an enticing, elegant nose of lightly toasted hazelnut, ripe citrus and a touch of gun smoke. With air, this expands to creamy fruits and buttered, toasted brioche. The palate is compact yet intense, a core of fresh nuts and fleshy citrus already open and expressive. The mousse is creamy, in seamless harmony with brisk and bright acidity. Struck flint and brioche build the weight through the mid-palate but the delineation of flavours maintains harmony and precision. The finish is expansive and long, a testament to the complexity behind this wine. This is delicious now, more approachable than the 2006, but the lingering complexity suggests it should also improve with time in bottle.

This is a step up from the linear and fresh 2006. It shows subtle depth and power with a dense block of vivid fruit that's highlighted with lemon zest, green apples and hints of white peaches. Just the right amount of praline and nuts on the nose. Fine and tight bead give the Champagne a luxurious mouthfeel. One for now or the cellar. Drink or hold.

This is quite beautiful. There’s lovely concentration of citrus fruit with some subtle hazelnut and toast, as well as good structure and fine acidity. Compact and dense, but at the same time it’s pretty and delicate. There’s a touch of grapefruit and a refined spiciness, as well as riper notes of apricot and peach. But the main theme here is beautifully focused, pure citrus fruit. Just beautiful.

The date of the 2007 harvest (late August) might give a false impression of ripeness. The harvest date was influenced by early flowering rather than excess heat during the growing season. Chardonnay was by far the most successful variety during this vintage, which is reflected in the quality of this release. Newly released, it was nervy, with a streak of chalky minerality dominating lemony fruit. There has been some evolution in the intervening years, and this champagne is now replete with lovely nutty-toasty yellow fruit. The quick burst of aromatic development suggests this may not be the longest-lived champagne, although it should remain vital over the next decade. Drink from 2023-2030. Tasted: 15-Jun-23.