Taittinger is one of Champagne’s great family houses, defined by independence, a Chardonnay-led style, and deep roots in Reims. The company traces its origins to 1734 (as Forest-Fourneaux) and entered a new era in 1932 when Pierre Taittinger acquired vineyards and cellars and put the family name on the label. After a brief period of outside ownership in the mid-2000s, the family repurchased the house; today it remains family-run, with a modern leadership team that has kept the focus squarely on vineyard quality and long, patient ageing.
Vineyards are at the heart of Taittinger’s identity. The house owns one of the largest estate holdings in Champagne, spread across key terroirs of the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and, especially, the Côte des Blancs. This breadth gives Taittinger unusual control over fruit quality and vintage character, and it underpins a style built on delicacy, precision and length. The wines age in the historic chalk crayères beneath the remains of the Saint-Nicaise abbey in Reims, where cool, stable conditions foster a fine, integrated mousse.
The hallmark of the house is its embrace of Chardonnay. Even the non-vintage Brut carries an unusually high proportion of the grape, which lends brightness, floral lift and a sleek, mineral line. Winemaking favours clarity over embellishment: cool fermentations, careful selection, a deep library of reserve wines for consistency, and only a judicious touch of oak for select cuvées when it benefits texture and complexity. The aim is vinosity without heaviness, and longevity without austerity.
The range is concise and clearly tiered. The Brut Réserve (known historically as La Française in some markets) defines the house style—fresh, graceful and reliably gastronomic. Prélude Grands Crus showcases grand-cru sourcing with extra intensity; vintage releases add structure and depth; and the rosés are noted for purity and fine texture rather than overt richness. At the summit sits Comtes de Champagne, the blanc de blancs prestige cuvée made only in exceptional years from grand-cru Chardonnay, joined by a rare Comtes Rosé from top Pinot Noir sites—both wines built for decades of evolution.
Beyond the glass, Taittinger has become a cultural ambassador for Champagne: family stewardship, investment in sustainable viticulture, and a long tradition of hospitality tied to its historic cellars. The result is a house that marries history with a distinctly modern sensibility—Champagne that is elegant, consistent and enduring, from the entry wines to the most coveted releases.