November is always a busy—but celebratory—month for me. Between my wedding anniversary, family birthdays, Thanksgiving, and the upcoming holiday season, life feels a bit like a whirlwind. Luckily, the one thing I don’t have to worry about is which libation will be in my glass to toast all these special occasions—it’s always Champagne Taittinger.
“This wine of celebration and love is the most wonderful prelude to any occasion.” —Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger
Based in in Reims, France, the Champagne Taittinger vineyard has grown steadily, today spanning 288 hectares. The vineyards are planted with 37% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir, and 15% Pinot Meunier, distributed among 37 different crus, which are some of the best under the Champagne appellation.
What I love about Champagne Taittinger is that it’s one of the last remaining family-owned and operated Champagne houses, since 1734. It’s a family affair with Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger, who has led the charge for 40 years, and his children Clovis and Vitalie, who both work beside him in the day to day running of the Champagne House. I especially admire how daughter Vitalie leads president (so much girl power!)
“Having our family name on a bottle places demands and responsibilities on every minute. The name on the bottle conveys both the skills and knowledge of the past and a commitment to the future.” —Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger
Since I’ve always been a big fan of Champagne Taittinger, I’ve been known to hoard N.V. Taittinger Brut Réserve magnum bottles and relish in the grandeur of their Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut vintages. So I was thrilled to finally try Taittinger Nocturne Rosé.
Taittinger Nocturne Rosé is a “Sec” (meaning off-dry) champagne composed of Chardonnay (30%) and Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (70%) blended from around 30 different vineyards. A quantity of still red wine (15%) produced from the best Pinot Noirs from Montagne de Reims and Les Riceys is added to the final blend.
When I poured the Champagne into the glass, the first thing I thought was WOW—what a stunning, vibrant pink hue, kind of like the flamingo ornaments in my Christmas tree. The bubbles burst out of the glass—so tiny, persistent, and beautifully effervescent. The nose was red berry forward with some yeasty notes, like a delicious cherry and strawberry pastry. Swirling it around my mouth, I could tell the wine was off-dry, a little bold, with a medium body, and medium+ acidity. It had a velvety mouthfeel coating all over and silky tannins. The acidity and sweetness were perfectly balanced. I tasted notes of rip red berries, orange peel, a slight toastiness, and yeast. It was zesty, fresh, and crisp.
When I saw sec, I imagined it was going to be sweeter, but the wine was so perfectly integrated. This wine could start the night off with appetizers or replace desserts as the perfect holiday nightcap. It’s versatile and could be happily sipped on throughout the night.
With all the special moments coming up this season, find your special bottle of Taittinger to celebrate with here.
This post was made in partnership with Taittinger.