2012 Taittinger Comtes De Champagne Rose

(97 Points) Early indications from the first tasting of this wine in summer 2025 were that this may turn out as a milestone for Comtes de Champagne Rosé, which has always been a rather different beast from the more famous Blanc de Blancs. The heady, fruit-forward Pinot Noir focus is still there, but it seems to have been straightened, polished and tightened even in this extroverted vintage. It has yielding a blend that offers abundance of fruit (redcurrant, peach, pomegranate and cherry) but framed in an alluringly silky, racy Chardonnay-influenced texture that pushes through with beautiful length and subtle brown pastry and crême patissière richness. It wears its 14% red wine – high for modern Champagne – deftly, treading a beautiful line between purity and generosity.  Decanter