Taittinger Prestige Brut

When Pierre Taittinger acquired the former Abbey of Saint-Nicaise in Reims in 1932, he inherited not just a house but 4th-century Gallo-Roman chalk crayères — the same tunnels where the Prestige Brut NV rests for a minimum of 3–4 years on lees, more than double the appellation's 15-month floor. That decision to over-age the entry cuvée is the clearest expression of the house's philosophy. The chalk-rich soils of Taittinger's 288 hectares across 34 crus — spanning Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, and Marne Valley — deliver exceptional drainage and sustained natural acidity, the geological backbone of the house's signature minerality. The blend runs approximately 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier drawn from 35+ crus, with ~50% estate fruit; only first-pressing juice (cuvée) enters the vat. Fermentation is in temperature-controlled stainless steel to lock primary aromatics, with no new oak in the main range. At disgorgement, a proprietary combination of ascorbic acid in the liqueur d'expédition plus CO₂ jetting replaces a portion of SO₂ — an unusual antioxidant protocol that preserves freshness without the oxidative edge common in NV Champagne. In a category dominated by Pinot Noir–led blends, a 40% Chardonnay floor in the non-vintage tier is a structural statement, not a garnish. Drink now through 3–5 years; the extended lees aging means the wine arrives with autolytic development already integrated.