Recently I visited the famous champagne region Reims, in North East France. The lord Jean-Pierre Redont welcomed us in the hotel located in the centre of Reims, by a glass of Taittinger prelude Brut - a delicious beading wine with gentle mousse. Did you know that champagne determines 10% of the world’s total production in sparkling wines? And did you know that 75% of the total production of Taittinger (19 millions bottles) is intended for the export market? 300ha vineyards ensure 50% of this production a harvest volume of 12.000 bottles is obtained by hectare! Incredible, isn’t?

They assigned artists to give their products more prestige and the attire more allure (Roy Lichtenstein - prime minister bluntly 1981). Furthermore they are responsible for the prestigious results of wine pairings around the world. Around the original castle “Château de la Marquetterie”, built in 1724, and property of Taittinger, you will find 10ha vineyards planted with 45% Pinot Noir and 55% Chardonnay. This field is only responsible for 40.000 exclusive bottles, which are exported to Denmark, the United Kingdom, the United States, Belgium and the Netherlands. For this unique sparkling wine, green harvest is applied, no sugar has been added for the ‘liquer de tirage’ (molasses and yeast cells for the second fermentation) and the minimum time of fermentation is 4 years.

An interesting fact that Mr. Clovis Taittinger shared with us is the fact that a larger area has been assigned to the Champagne area for cultivating wine. From its original 84.000ha Champagne AOC before World War I is not much left. By bombarding, as a result of the war and owners without succession or with a shortage of financial resources, this area ended up with a large decrease to 32.000ha. Do not forget that the Champagne decree, to be extended up to 40 new (read; existing AOC before the war) villages feeds this complex matter. Usurious prices to 350 times higher than the normal price are asked to be able to purchase the fields of individuals, that are not producing wine.

According to Clovis, champagne is faced with the cultivating of grapes from terroirs of lower quality. Moreover, too high outputs are maintained which reduces intensity (reasonable 1400kg/ha = 25.000 bottles). His philosophy is to work organic, to treat the ground more peaceful and eventually to be able to produce healthy & rich vine. The main purpose of this strategy to achieve is fruit, quality and freshness in the wines. The Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) from Epernay (harvest year 1998) is one of the champagnes with Vintage, an enormous complexity, some exotic fruit, gentle mousse and pleasant sour in the half long aftertaste.

Nowadays Bank Agricole, Pierre Taittinger and his daughter Vilette and son Clovis manage the company. After a lot of impressions and delicious wines, I would like to end my story with a wine recommendation; the Taittinger Brut 2002 - a gentle, fine mousse acidity, slightly matured fruit, dry and minerally in the long aftertaste.
I will get back to you soon with more unique findings!

Regards,

Noël Vanwittenbergh
Sommelier Ciel Bleu