Personal advice
100% Chardonnay · 100% Grand Cru · Disgorged April 2022 · 9 g/l Dosage · Drinking window until 2042+
The Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2012 is the world’s first Prestige Cuvée made from 100% Chardonnay – and one of the few Champagnes that delivers a great experience both when young and gains remarkable complexity over decades. Anyone wanting to buy Comtes de Champagne 2012 will receive the typical creamy, full-bodied house style at the peak of its accessibility.
Short answer for buyers: After the mineral and firm 2008 and the slender 2011, the 2012 returns to the opulent house style: creamy, full-bodied, intensely fruity – exactly what Comtes de Champagne has been world-famous for since its first vintage in 1952. Among all Prestige Cuvées in Champagne, Comtes de Champagne has the widest drinking window.
The 2012 vintage started difficultly: A frost event in March interrupted the early vegetation, late frosts in May reduced yields, and hail in April caused further losses. However, the summer brought intense sunshine with warm temperatures but without excessive heat – a rarity in Champagne today. The small yields and sunny weather produced very ripe, concentrated musts with good acidity and exceptional fruit sweetness.
What makes the Comtes 2012 special: It combines the creamy opulence of the house character with a lively acidity that promises long development. The five Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs – Avize and Le Mesnil for structure and tension, Cramant and Oger for fuller fruit, Chouilly for roundness – create a cuvée that already impresses today and will show even more complexity in two decades.
Young and exciting: Lemon, exotic fruits, vanilla, toast and roasted almonds define the bouquet. The 2012 is already less dominated by the lees ageing and shows beautiful aroma development. With further ageing, nutty notes join the toasted aromas; in about ten years, the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans will appear.
Creamy, full-bodied, intensely fruity – the typical Comtes style at its most accessible level. The almost sweet fruit abundance is carried by the characteristic minerality of the Côte des Blancs and perfectly balanced by lively acidity. After 20 years, notes of honey, caramel, balsamic, truffle and candied lemon zest develop – a complexity typical of mature Comtes vintages.
The Comtes de Champagne 2012 is already drinking surprisingly well today. The drinking window extends until 2042 and beyond. Among all Prestige Cuvées in Champagne, Comtes de Champagne has the widest drinking window – even after 50 years, the best vintages can still impress.
Those who want to experience the creamy, fruity house style now will find the 2012 perfect. Those who prefer mineral energy and concentration will find the 2013 a better choice. Patient connoisseurs with a long-term perspective should choose 2006 or 2008 – atypical for Comtes, but structurally strong.
Taittinger owns 288.8 hectares of vineyards – almost exclusively Grand and Premier Cru classified. The Chardonnay for Comtes de Champagne comes exclusively from the estate’s own parcels in the five Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs. Only the juice from the first pressing is used.
Since 1988, 4–5% of the base wines have been aged for three to six months in oak barrels from the Allier and Limousin forests – mostly wines from Chouilly. The 225-litre barrels come from Séguin Moreau and Tonnellerie Rousseau, with one third renewed each year. This gives the wine subtle toasty depth without any dominance of wood.
The wine then matures for nine years in the 18-metre-deep chalk cellars of Saint-Nicaise in Reims – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here the characteristic fine mousse and creamy texture develop. Disgorging is done by hand à la volée, and the dosage is 9 g/l.
Comtes de Champagne is the world’s first Prestige Cuvée made from 100% Chardonnay. Claude Taittinger released the first vintage (1952) in 1962. The inspiration came from Thibaut IV – Count of Champagne, Crusader, poet and singer, who combined strength with beauty. Exactly this principle was also to be embodied by the Prestige Cuvée: power united with elegance.
The production volume is deliberately small: In good years only about 100,000 to 120,000 bottles are produced – equivalent to roughly 2% of Dom Pérignon’s production volume. In the exceptional 2002 vintage, only a quarter of the usual quantity was produced in order to preserve the desired acidity structure.
When was the Comtes de Champagne 2012 disgorged?
The Comtes de Champagne 2012 was disgorged in April 2022 – by hand à la volée, after nine years of lees ageing in the chalk cellars of Saint-Nicaise in Reims.
Is the Comtes de Champagne 2012 ready to drink now?
Yes – the 2012 is already drinking surprisingly well today and shows the typical creamy, fruity Comtes style. The drinking window extends until 2042 and beyond.
What is the difference between Comtes de Champagne 2012 and 2013?
The 2012 represents the classic creamy, fruity house style – accessible and opulent. The 2013 is more intensely mineral and concentrated – for connoisseurs who prefer structure and tension.
Why is Comtes de Champagne so rare?
Production is only about 100,000–120,000 bottles per vintage – roughly 2% of Dom Pérignon’s production volume. The grapes come exclusively from the estate’s own parcels in the five Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs, which allows strict selection but limits the quantity.
Which vineyards are used for Comtes de Champagne 2012?
Exclusively the five Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs: Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger for structure and tension, Cramant and Oger for fuller fruit, Chouilly for roundness and creaminess.
How long can Comtes de Champagne be cellared?
Among all Prestige Cuvées in Champagne, Comtes de Champagne has the widest drinking window. Great vintages such as 1988, 1996 or 2002 are still impressive even after 30–50 years. The 2012 is designed to drink well until 2042 and beyond.
→ All details about Comtes de Champagne: vintages, production & history
A glance at the Alfavin cellar
A glance at the Alfavin cellar
A glance at the Alfavin Cellar