Taittinger Prestige Rose

Pierre Taittinger acquired the house in 1932 atop a network of 4th-century Gallo-Roman crayères beneath the former Abbey of Saint-Nicaise — chalk tunnels that now age every bottle at constant temperature and humidity, well beyond appellation minimums. The Prestige Rosé is the one cuvée where Taittinger's signature Chardonnay dominance deliberately yields: ~55% Pinot Noir, ~30% Chardonnay, ~15% still red Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims and Les Riceys, the latter vinified as a still wine and blended in to anchor colour and red-fruit depth rather than relying on skin contact. Chalk-rich soils across the estate's 288 hectares deliver the high natural acidity and mineral tension that prevent the still-red addition from tipping the wine toward heaviness. Fermentation is in temperature-controlled stainless steel to preserve primary fruit; only first-pressing juice is used across the range. Lees aging in the crayères runs a minimum of 3–4 years — more than double the legal floor — building fine, persistent mousse and restrained autolytic complexity. The antioxidant protocol at disgorgement — ascorbic acid in the liqueur d'expédition combined with CO₂ jetting — allows reduced SO₂ while locking in freshness. Drink now through medium term.