Taittinger Champagne
The general style of Taittinger is light, elegant and fruity. Taittinger also owns Domaine Carneros in California. It is one of the few family owned houses remaining in Champagne and sells about 6 million bottles per year. The group also owns Domaine Carneros in California.
Taittinger is the third oldest champagne house, established in 1734 as the House of Fourneaux. The primary development has been since 1932, when it was purchased by the Taittinger family and given their name. The first wines were still red and white, then sparkling followed. The vineyard holdings that have been acquired over time now supply almost half of Taittinger's production needs.
Taittinger Champagne Collection
Dry and Sweet
Taittinger offers both dry and sweet champagne labels. Their dry champagne is presented first followed by their sweeter champagne label.
Taittinger Dry Styles
Non-Vintage
Taittinger Brut La Francaise is Taittinger's house style champagne. They also offer two more basic brut champagnes as well as a rose'. The following links provide a review, tasting notes, retail price, and ratings by Champagne 411, Wine Enthusiast, and/or Wine Spectator.
Vintage Brut
Taittinger Brut Millesime is their basic vintage brut champagne. Recent vintages are listed below. Click on a year to find a review, tasting notes, retail price, and ratings by Champagne 411, Wine Enthusiast, and/or Wine Spectator.
Vintage Prestige Cuvee
Comtes de Champagne is Taittinger's prestige cuvee brand. They produce two types of Comtes de Champagne, a rose' and a blanc de blancs. Click on a link to obtain a review, tasting notes, retail price, and ratings.
Taittinger Sweeter Styles
Nocutrne is Taittinger's sweeter champagne option for those who prefer a sweeter champagne. Nocturne is a non-vintage champagne with a sec sweetness level. Our Sweet Champagne webpage provides a list of additional sweet champagne brands.
Taittinger History
The Taittinger Champagne House was established in 1932, some 200 years after it was originally established by Jacques Fourneaux as Forest-Fourneaux in 1734 after the Fourneaux family joined forces with Antoine Forest. The business was originally located in the Hotel le Vergeur, then the Residence of the Counts of Champagne. The son, and later the grandson of Jacques, were often advisors to Veuve Clicquot. Reliable documentation after the original establishment of the house up to World War I is scarce.
During World War I, Pierre-Charles Taittinger, a calvary officer, visited the Château de la Marquetterie and the neighboring vineyards that were maintained by friar Jean Oudart during the late 17th and early 18th century. Friar Oudart was making wine at the Saint-Nicaise Abbey during the same time period when Dom Perignon was making wine at the Abbey in Hautvillers. The Saint-Nicaise Abbey was destroyed during the French Revolution. The original crayères excavated during Gallo-Roman times that were below the original Abbey can still be visited. These are the cellars where Taittinger ages their famous prestige cuvée, Comtes de Champagne.
During his visit in World War I, Pierre vowed to return someday and make the Château de la Marquetterie his home. He returned with his brother-in-law, Paul Evêque, and purchased the firm of Forest-Fourneaux in 1932. Additional purchases included the Residence of the Counts of Champagne and the Château de la Marquetterie. The name was changed to Ets Taittinger Mailly & Cie. In the depressed economy, he also purchased vineyards throughout the area at inexpensive prices. The Residence of the Counts of Champagne was almost destroyed during World War I. In 1933, the firm was relocated from a location in Mailly to the Residence of the Counts of Champagne in Reims after it was restored. The Counts of Champagne or "Comtes de Champagne" was the name given to Taittinger's prestige cuvée in honor of a descendant of Charlemagne, Thibault IV, for whom the residence was built in the 13th century in Reims.
The building on top of the cellars where the Saint-Nicaise Abbey was located was constructed in the 1920s originally as the Binet Champagne House. In 1942, when Francois Taittinger became head of the firm he moved the primary headquarters from the Residence of the Counts of Champagne to this location at Place St-Nicaise. The Residents of the Counts of Champagne is reserved for special events.
In 2005, American based Starwood Capital acquired the holdings of the Société du Louvre. The holdings included the Taittinger Champagne House. Starwood's primary focus has been the hotel business, so they put Taittinger up for sale. Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger bought back his family's business in 2006 and runs the house with his son Clovis and daughter Vitalie at his side.
Famous Visitors
In the 1760, the Château de la Marquetterie was acquired by Jacques Cazotte. Many visitors such as Chénier, Lully and Voltaire were guests at the château. In 1717, the Saint-Nicaise Abbey was visited by the Tsar Peter the Great.
More On Taittinger
About
Our About Taittinger report includes general information about the champagne house and their key people.
Contact and Visitor Information
Contact and possible tour information is located in our Contact Taittinger report.
Official Website
The official website is http://www.taittinger.com.
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