Champagne Taittinger Brut La Francaise, Reims, France

Established atop Gallo-Roman chalk quarries listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and on a vineyard of 711 acres, the family-run Maison Taittinger is driven by the pursuit of excellence. Finesse, elegance, and precision define the style of its wines. Burt La Française reveals a wine characterized by the vibrancy of its predominantly Chardonnay blend. While Pinot Noir guarantees structure, its lower proportion of Meunier lends delicate sweetness to this timeless blend. The grapes are selected from more than 35 different terroirs and several harvests. The presses are located in the vineyard for immediate pressing of the fruit after the manual harvest, and the resulting must is cold fermented under temperature-controlled conditions. After resting until the end of winter, the wine is blended, and then the final cuvee undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle in Taittinger’s cool cellars. The aging of Brut La Francaise on the lees for almost 4 years more than doubles the legal minimum of 15 months. This extra time in the cellars allows the wine to reach the peak of aromatic maturity, and the result is a delicately balanced Champagne, known for its consistently excellent quality. This wine has a subtle, pale gold color with fine, persistent bubbles. It is delicate, with aromas of peach, white flowers, vanilla pod, and brioche on the nose and flavors of fresh fruit and honey on the palate. Grapes: 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier.