2012 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rose 6pk 6x750ml

This is a structured, focused yet delicate rosé Comtes. Almost rust-colored, with tons of grapefruit, crushed stones, blackcurrants and wild raspberries, alongside oyster shells and chalk. Very precise and fine, with seamless bubbles and a fresh, very long finish. 60% pinot noir (from Mailly, Verzenay and Ambonnay) and 40% chardonnay (Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger), of which 16% red wine from Bouzy, all grand cru. Drink or hold. ~99 James Suckling

The 2012 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is magnificent. Rich and explosive in the glass, the 2012 Comtes Rosé dazzles from start to finish. I like it even more today than I liked it last year! A rush of red cherry fruit, kirsch, blood orange, cinnamon and rose petal soars out of the glass. Vertical structure and tons of energy are the signatures. ~98 Vinous Media

Early indications from the first tasting of this wine in summer 2025 were that this may turn out as a milestone for Comtes de Champagne Rosé, which has always been a rather different beast from the more famous Blanc de Blancs. The heady, fruit-forward Pinot Noir focus is still there, but it seems to have been straightened, polished and tightened even in this extroverted vintage. It has yielding a blend that offers abundance of fruit (redcurrant, peach, pomegranate and cherry) but framed in an alluringly silky, racy Chardonnay-influenced texture that pushes through with beautiful length and subtle brown pastry and crême patissière richness. It wears its 14% red wine – high for modern Champagne – deftly, treading a beautiful line between purity and generosity. ~97 Decanter

Disgorged in February 2025 with a dosage of nine grams per liter, the 2012 Comtes de Champagne Rosé opens with a flamboyant, perfumed bouquet of crushed raspberry, blood orange and cherry, mingling with sweet red plum and hints of timut pepper. The full-bodied palate is layered, broad and textural, its generous core of fruit sustained by ripe yet racy acidity and a pillowy mousse that lends liveliness, before the wine culminates in a long, enveloping finish with a touch of phenolic bitterness. Composed of 60% Pinot Noir—including 16% still red wine from Bouzy—and 40% Chardonnay, it can already be enjoyed with satisfaction, though one should reasonably anticipate that it will accrue additional complexity after a few more years under cork. ~96 Wine Advocate

Enticing floral and spice notes lead the way, but a pure beam of strawberry pâte de fruit and flavors of pastry cream, passion fruit coulis and salted Marcona almond expand on the satiny mousse, supported by finely meshed, mouthwatering acidity. Long on the finish, with an echo of chalky minerality. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2040. ~95 WS