Taittinger Comtes De Champagne 2007 (750ML)

98 JS / 97 WE / 96 DE / 96 VM / 95 WA / 95 FS / 94 JM / 18.5 JR

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. James Suckling

Always one of the great Champagnes, this comes from a year that is generally regarded as good but not great. And yet, with this Champagne is magnificent. The wine has some good bottle age, hinting at toast while also keeping the tight, mineral edge of a great wine from the Côte des Blancs. Drink from 2020. - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast

The 2007 Comtes de Champagne is an astonishing Champagne. With aromas of dried flowers, chamomile and plenty of freshness, the bouquet is complex and dense. The fine and pure texture on the palate is supported by a chalk and iodine finish. - Yohan Castaing, Decanter

Taittinger's 2007 Comtes de Champagne will be nearly impossible to resist upon release. Soaring aromatics, mid-weight structure and soft contours give the 2007 its alluring personality. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint, chamomile and green pear add brightness and freshness throughout, with a persistent, clean finish that makes it impossible to resist a second taste. Today, the 2007 comes across as a slightly more open version of the 2004, with freshness that makes that wine so appealing, and a touch of textural richness that recalls the 2002. Although the 2007 does not have the explosive energy or verticality of the profound 2006, it will drink better earlier. The 2007 has been positively brilliant on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. Antonio Galloni – Vinous Media

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. Disgorged in October 2017; tasted in May 2018. Stephan Reinhardt – The Wine Advocate

Medium salmon pink with an orange touch, pink reflections, fine, persistent mousse. Delicately smoky nuances of red forest berries, cherry and currants, with notes of baked goods. Taut, crisp texture, white peach, delicate hints of sweet wild berries, racy structure, chalky minerality, firmly interwoven and long-lasting, a multi-faceted food companion with certain ageing potential. - Peter Moser, Falstaff

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.--Stephen Pritchard for Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy 

Tiny bead. Hugely aromatic and super-tense but expressive too. Very much a Blanc de Blancs and very fine indeed. Wonderful aperitif. Massive acidity but the Bose compensates for it. Green fruits and great finesse. - Jancis Robinson