x
  • Country ranking ?

    746
  • Producer ranking ?

    24
  • Decanting time

    15min
  • When to drink

    now to 2025
  • Food Pairing

    Salmon with a mild butter sauce

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

Close

“The 2006 Comtes de Champagne is striking, especially in the way it brings together elements of ripeness and freshness in a hypothetical blend of the 2002 and 2004. Smooth and creamy on the palate, the 2006 is all about texture. There is a real feeling of density and weight in the 2006, qualities I expect to see grow with time in the bottle. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. The 2006 has been nothing short of magnificent both times I have tasted it. Comtes de Champagne remains the single best value (in relative terms) in tête de cuvée Champagne. I suggest buying a case and following it over the next 20-30 years, which is exactly what I intend to do. There is little doubt the 2006 Comtes de Champagne is a magical Champagne in the making.” – 97+/100, Antonio Galloni, July 2015

Close

The Story

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne is the finest expression of the world famous wine from one of the greatest Champagne Houses. First produced in 1952, Comtes is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes from 5 Grand Cru sites in the Côte des Blancs. Showing a pristine pale yellow colour with very light, abundant bubbles which rise uniformly to form a fine mousse. The evocative bouquet opens with notes of pears and fresh cute white flowers. Left in the glass for a time, the nose develops a richness and density of pure character. Once on the palate, Comtes is lively, direct and precise with flavours of candied lemon zest and fresh pineapple. The balance is something to behold. This Champagne's marriage of finesse and aromatic intensity is a promise of further potential, but already offers very pleasurable drinking.

The blend. Produced in the cellars of the former Saint-Nicaise abbey (13th century) in Reims, Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs receives all the lavish care and attention it needs to reach its peak. Every bottle of Comtes de Champagne strictly adheres to all of the following to make it such a rare luxury and the connoisseurs choice :

The Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is composed exclusively of Chardonnay grown in the five villages of the Côte des Blancs, which are classified as Grands Crus: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger.

• It is only produced when the harvest is of exceptional quality worthy of a vintage year.

• Only the wine from the first press – the Cuvée – is used: a sure guarantee of finesse.

• 5% of the wines used to make it have been aged for 4 months in new oak barrels (a third of which are renewed every year), enhancing the intrinsic qualities and complexities of the final blend.

• Only after slow and patient ageing for almost 10 years in the Saint-Nicaise chalk pits (Crayères) in 18 metres underground does this cuvée of exceptional quality come out into the light. 

Close

Wine Information

Despite being a brand new release, Comtes 2006 has already been lauded by the world’s leading wine critics as one of the best Comtes vintages ever. Tasted by both Antonio Galloni and Jancis Robinson MW earlier this summer, they were both similarly impressed, scoring it 97+/100 and 18/20, respectively.   

It’s worth noting that Comtes de Champagne is released in limited quantities – less than 25,000 cases are produced of each vintage – and magnums are especially hard to come by. Less than 200 magnums of Comtes 2006 have been released to the UK market and The Finest Bubble are fortunate and proud to be able to offer small quantities of Comtes 2006 in magnum. His father, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger said: “2006 represents the first vintage made in my presidency, when I took over Taittinger with my son, Clovis, and daughter, Vitalie.”

Close

Vintage 2006

A cold winter and springtime frosts laid the foundations for this vintage of abundant yields (12,997 kg/ha). Uneventful flowering was followed by exceptionally hot and sunny weather, which lasted until August. A dank August left producers fearful but fortunately warm, bright conditions in September redressed the balance. Harvest commenced on September 9th, producing grapes high in sugar level but notably low on acidity. The general health of the grapes was sufficient, producing wines which excel over the preceding 2005 vintage, another warm and ample year. The year's greatest wines are supple and expressive and despite the richness they escape being overly heavy. Overt and welcoming upon launch, the best come with excellent capacity for ageing. Winey, and richly fruity characters, most Champagnes regrettably miss some tension and finesse. Wines of the vintage include Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, Krug Vintage and Dom Pérignon Rosé.

Close

Tasting note

color

Medium, Green-Yellow and Bright

ending

Long, Flavorful and Lingering

flavors

Toasty, Creamy, Floral and White fruits

nose

Open, Refined, Complex and Opulent

taste

Average in Acidity, Concentrated, Well-structured, Perfectly balanced, Youthful, Medium-bodied, Rich, Elegant, Toasty and Dry

Verdict

Sophisticated and Impressive

Written Notes

“Stylishly restrained, pure nose of coffee, smoke, milled chalk and peaches. There is an under-control reduced character waiting to express itself as toasty opulence. Subtly textured, seamless, perky palate with electric vivacity. Richer palate than what was promised by the slightly reserved nose. Fresh, light-weight and salivating. 93 points already upon launch.”

  • 94p

This is settling into a deeper presence. It has a freshness that really appeals, along with Taittinger's signature toasty layer of autolysis, grilled nuts and praline. Plenty of flesh and weight on the palate. Acidity clasps ripe peach and mango fruits, finishing long, powerful and fine. Drink now.

  • 96p

Light yellow. Refined, elegant nose still in its youth, intermixing floral scents, herbs - angelica and fresh mint - and subtle toasted undertones. Ample, ethereal, silky palate displaying supreme harmony. A particularly successful bottling.

  • 99p

Pale lemon yellow. Apples, pears, brioche, minerals, fruity nose, some bread crumbs, quite intense. Fresh acidity, fresh mousse, apples, some bitter notes, brioche, intense, detailed, long and detailed. 94

  • 94p
Good looking double magnum size bottle.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 94p
Good looking normal size bottle and has by the neck level. Colour is green-yellow and medium. On the nose it is open and complex.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
Load more notes

1 official sellers in 1 countries

Show all Wine Moments

Information

Origin

Reims, Champagne

Vintage Quality

Above Average

Value For Money

Satisfactory

Investment potential

No Potential

Fake factory

None

Glass time

45min

Other wines from this producer

Brut La Francaise

Brut Prestige Rosé

Brut Réserve

Brut Réserve FIFA 2014

Collection

Comtes de Champagne Rosé

Comtes de Champagne Rosé Vinothèque

Comtes de Champagne Vinothèque

Cuvée Prestige

Demi-Sec

Future version of Comtes de Champagne

Les Folies de la Marquetterie

Nocturne

Nocturne Rosé

Prelude

Vintage

Inside Information

On the eve of its release, the 2006 brings back all the wonder of classic Comtes, the innocence of a joyful childhood, a free-as-air dash through endless blue daylight and a breathless plunge into an icy mountain rockpool. A wine of coiled energy, focus and precision, it leads with lemon, lime, grapefruit, crunchy apple and pear. Then it drops back a gear, with a fleeting suggestion of pineapple that hints at the volume of the ripe 2006 season, yet not for a moment volunteering any secondary development yet. Magnificent tones of gun flint and grilled toast reduction linger through a finish of great focus and stamina. Its textural presence is mouth-embracing, permeating every crevice, masterfully uniting very fine phenolic grip with delightfully fine, frothing salt minerality that bores to the very core of the finest chalk fields of the C?te des Blancs.

Read more
Incorrect Information
If you found some information that is wrong, let us know
Are you sure you want do delete this wine? All information will be lost.
Are you sure you want to recommend this wine?
Are you sure you want hide this written note ?
Are you sure you want show this written note ?
UPGRADE MEMBER PLAN
Upgrade your membership now, it's quick and easy. We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards. Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Thank you for your support!
 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

 

HOW TO USE TASTINGBOOK?

We recommend you to share few minutes for watching the following video instructions of how to use the Tastingbook. This can provide you a comprehensive understanding of all the features you can find from this unique service platform.

This video will help you get started



Taste wines with the Tastingbook


Create Your wine cellar on 'My Wines'



Explore Your tasted wines library



Administrate Your wine world in Your Profile



Type a message ...
Register to Tastingbook
Sign up now, it's quick and easy.
We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards.
Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal, where you can sign up for a free 7-day trial period. You can cancel your membership at any time. We wish you a rewarding journey to the world of Fine Wines.

Free 7 days Member trial

 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

  Register