Dried lemon, crushed chalk, golden delicious apple. Rainier cherry, angel food cake, nectarine pit. Honeysuckle and pink carnations, crunchy straw and baked almond. White strawberry and Bosc pear highlight an expansive fruit-driven attack complimented by sweet brioche and oyster shell. Candied ginger and whipped cream contribute further delicate nuance. Surprisingly mild mousse draws attention away from texture and towards the gorgeously expressive fruit. This NV Brut La Francaise by Champagne Taittinger is a delectably decadent non vintage cuvée.

Champagne Taittinger was founded in 1734 and operates out of the city of Reims in the Champagne region of northern France. They are one of the more storied and well respected large houses and have worked on sparkling wine ventures outside of Champagne including in California and England. This bottling, crafted from a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, and 25% Meunier, is a great introduction into this wonderful house. We were unable to determine what vintage this wine was based around or when it was disgorged, but this bottle seemed to be quite developed and showed some signs of age. Rather than a zippy and focused young Champagne with intense bubbles we experienced something seemingly more evolved. Fruit here is still ripe and juicy complimented by baked bready notes and focused minerality. While not as texturally expansive as expected the slightly round, well structured, and flavor-dense palate impressed us nonetheless.