Scott E. Becker

9.0

[Tasted on April 6, 2024 at Home with Linda and Joel]

Blend of 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier. Mandarin orange, apricot, pear and red fruits, with honey, ginger, vanilla and toast. — 23 days ago

Meg Herring

9.2

Peach ginger pineapple lime orange. Very pretty now but will certainly get even better. — 3 years ago

Aravind A

9.3

Pop and pour. Notes from 4 hrs open. On the nose: freshly cut honeysuckle, then loads of flowers, mint, soft honey and wet stone. On the palate: excellent acidity, wet stone, ginger, medicinal herbs, fantastic density. Better than my last btl...definitely one of my condrieu standards. Yum! — 3 years ago

with Florent

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Happy birthday Honey. 🥳🎂🎉 🌹

This is absolutely as exquisite as when we had it for Christina’s birthday March 1, 2023. The benefit tonight is time & attention to focus on it. Delicious.

Green apple, lime, lemon pineapple, stone fruits, slightly bruised golden apple and pear, leans into apple cider, cream, ginger ale, nuts w/ skin, very fine powdery chalkiness, limestone, saline, biscuit dough, sea fossils. Amazing body and acidity, fruit blossoms, jasmine, yellow florals and well; structured knitted, balanced, extremely well polished finish that lasts two-minutes. Drinking beautiful now & with time & life for 10 yrs or more. Love you Sofia.

#MaxwellThisWomansWork — 6 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.2

Good luck pulling your attention away from the 2017 Catarratto Praruar. All it takes is one tilt of the golden-amber-colored nectar in your glass, and its exotic bouquet of sugar-dusted ginger, dried nectarines, crushed green apple, geranium and mint creates a unique yet captivating display. This is powerful and deeply textural, with a pretty inner sweetness balanced by brisk acids and tart orchard fruits, complemented by savory brown spice and a mind-bending addition of cocoa toward the close. For all of its density, the Praruar turns squeaky-clean through the finale, yet still full of lively energy, resonating on floral-tinged peaches and pears. Frankly, this is probably the most interesting interpretation of Catarratto that I’ve ever experienced; but be aware that it is unabashedly an orange-style wine, which won’t appeal to all palates. (Eric Guido, Vinous, June 2021)
— 3 years ago

Matt

9.2

Loved this over several nights, exuberant and exotic with zip and phenolics to hold everything up. Apricot, pineapple, racing citrus notes, mushrooms, candied ginger, saffron, white tea, herbs. — 3 years ago

Andrea Watt

8.9

Tangerine, green apple, kiwi, and ginger. Fresh, light, and sweet. — 7 months ago

Michelle M

9.2

Lovely bouquet of lemon zest and orange blossom with hints of cedar, creek pebbles, and white pepper. On the palate lemon candy, white peach, and grapefruit pith with fresh ginger and white pepper spice lingering on a medium length finish. Zippy, fun, approachable white wine with a bit of zing. Great value from southern Italy. Went perfect with my pineapple jackfruit Buddha bowl with teriyaki sauce. — 2 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.1

Grilled lemons, ginger, freshly cut green herbs, pinch of that peppery candyshop sponti-nase. Beautiful.
Powdery mouthfeel, quite concentrated.
Great to drink now.
— 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Well...this was one hell of a week. There is only one way to wind it down. Reach for an excellent bottle of vintage Champagne.

My first thoughts are how delicate this is on the palate. Further, how unbelievable it will be with another 8-10 years in bottle.

The nose shows; slightly sour lemon, the good parts of lemon Pledge, lemon meringue, white stone fruits, pineapple fresh with lots of juice, grapefruit, lime pulp, honeysuckle, soft, haunting caramel, brioche, limestone & slightly, dirty, grey volcanics, saline, sea fossils, sea spray, bread dough, vanilla, white spices-light ginger with spring flowers, mixed floral greens & lilies.

The body is light on its feet and dances on the palate. Delicacy abounds. Its soft, gorgeous mousse right there with the best money can buy. Slightly sour lemon, lemon meringue, green & with more bruised golden apple, white stone fruits, pineapple fresh with lots of juice, grapefruit, lime pulp, touch of apple cider, honeysuckle, soft, haunting caramel, ginger ale into cream soda, brioche, nougat, toffee notes, lighter nuts without skin, limestone & slightly, dirty, grey volcanics, saline, sea fossils, sea spray, bread dough, vanillin, marzipan, white spices-light ginger with spring flowers, mixed floral greens & lilies. The acidity is mellow yet lively, gorgeous and as good as it gets. The finish is all luxury. So well knitted & balanced, elegant, rich but not overpowering and gently persisting several minutes.

Photos of; The House of Taittinger, their caves so chalky white and built on the famous Crayères Cellars of Reims: 2.5 miles of tunnels (they own 1/4 to 1/3 of it) cut out of chalk by the Romans, the portrait of Thibaud IV who was a king, lord, manager, singer, conqueror, explorer & 11th century Crusader all rolled into one from which, this Cuvée was the catalyst creation and part of the 600 plus hectares they own in Champange.

Some producer notes; Taittinger's history can be traced back to 1734, when it was originally known as Forest-Fourneaux, founded by Jacques Fourneaux who worked closely with local Benedictine monks to learn how to produce wine. They were just the 3rd Champange house.

The estate was bought by the Taittingers – a family of wine merchants – in 1932, and thanks to the great depression and subsequent low land prices, the family also picked up huge swathes of vineyard. From 1945-1960, Francois Taittinger established the cellars in the Abbey of Saint-Nicaise, and after his death in 1960 his brother Claude took over, pushing the estate into a Champagne house of world renown. Such was the status of the label that the Taittinger family soon expanded its business into other luxury goods. However, this eventually led to financial difficulties, and in 2005 the Taittinger brand – including the Champagne house – was sold to the American owned Starwood Hotel Group. The sale was badly received by the Champagne industry, with many fearing the new owners – unfamiliar with the culture of Champagne – would put profit ahead of quality.

Just one year later, Claude’s nephew, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, who had always been opposed to the sale, negotiated a €660m deal with the Starwood Group, and the Taittinger family resumed ownership of the company.

In 2017, Taittinger planted its first vines in England, near a village in Kent, for its venture into English sparkling wine. The first bottle will be ready in 2023.

1/8/21 — 3 years ago