TAITTINGER BRUT LA FRANCAISE

JOHN GILMAN 92 POINTS - "Taittinger’s “la Française” bottling of non-vintage Brut is the same cépages as the wine above [i.e. forty percent Chardonnay and a sixty percent mix of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier], but spend an additional year aging on its fine lees prior to disgorgement, so effectively, this is one year older for its base vintage. I do wish that Taittinger would join with Grandes Marques such as Charles Heidsieck and provide more technical details on their back label, as it would be nice to know the dosage and the date of disgorgement. In any case, the bouquet on the current [2016] release of la Française is excellent, wafting from the glass in a vibrant blend of apple, white peach, fresh-baked bread, white flowers, a very good base of soil tones and just a hint of the smokiness to come with further bottle age. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp 69 and rock solid at the core, with elegant mousse, excellent focus and grip, fine acidity and a long, complex finish. The extra year on the lees really adds mid-palate depth and palate presence here vis à vis the Brut Réserve. As I have mentioned in the past, the dosage for this bottling has decreased noticeably in the last few years and the wine is all the better for it, as there is a mineral precision on the backend today that is exemplary! 2016-2035."