Taittinger

History and Terroir

Champagne Taittinger is one of the last great Champagne houses to remain independently family-owned and managed. Founded in 1931 by Pierre Taittinger, the estate’s history stretches back to 1734, when Jacques Fourneaux established the original House. Pierre, a cavalry officer during World War I, fell in love with the Château de la Marquetterie and its vineyards while stationed there, eventually acquiring the property and founding the Taittinger label. Today, the house is run by Pierre’s great-grandchildren, Vitalie and Clovis Taittinger, who continue the family legacy from their base in Reims, nestled above ancient 4th-century UNESCO-listed chalk cellars. With a strong identity rooted in heritage and innovation, Taittinger has grown into a global symbol of excellence, producing both timeless and forward-thinking cuvées. From their elegant Brut Réserve to the iconic Comtes de Champagne, the Taittinger name is synonymous with finesse, elegance, and consistency across vintages. Taittinger owns an impressive 288 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards, the most extensive managed with this philosophy. These vineyards are situated in some of the region’s most prestigious crus, including the Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, and the Vallée de la Marne. The most prized parcels include the Grand Cru villages of Avize, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Chouilly. The deep chalky subsoils, dating back to the Jurassic period, provide exceptional drainage and a unique mineral backbone to the wines. Taittinger’s prized Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is made exclusively from 100% Chardonnay grown in these Grand Cru vineyards. This terroir contributes to the Champagne’s hallmark tension, purity, and ageing potential. Half of Taittinger’s fruit is estate-grown, with the remainder sourced from long-term grower partnerships, ensuring uncompromised quality year after year.

Farming and Winemaking

What truly sets Taittinger apart is its unwavering commitment to Chardonnay, embraced here as the soul of the house. While most producers rely heavily on Pinot Noir and Meunier for power and fruit, Taittinger leans into the elegance, lift, and age-worthiness of Chardonnay. It’s a bold and distinctive choice that defines the house style. Taittinger’s cellars lie beneath the city of Reims in ancient Gallo-Roman chalk tunnels, some dating back to the 4th century. These UNESCO-protected crayères provide ideal conditions for the slow, undisturbed ageing of their wines, where silence, darkness, and centuries of history collaborate to nurture each bottle into a refined expression of place and time. Another hallmark of the Taittinger approach is patience. Their non-vintage wines are aged on lees for over 3 years, double the legal minimum, and the flagship Comtes de Champagne is cellared for nearly a decade before release. In a fast-moving world, Taittinger’s rhythm is slow. Time is not just an ingredient here; it’s a philosophy. Taittinger’s restraint with dosage, dedication to purity, and refusal to chase trends have earned them admiration from collectors and sommeliers alike. In a region often caught between tradition and innovation, Taittinger quietly continues to master both, proving that elegance isn’t just a stylistic choice, but a philosophy lived bottle by bottle.