Founded in 1734 and acquired by the Taittinger family in 1932, Champagne Taittinger is one of the most respected family-owned Champagne houses in Reims. The house controls approximately 288 hectares of vineyards across Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites in the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims. Its wines are distinguished by a refined, Chardonnay-led style that emphasises freshness, aromatic purity and exceptional finesse.
Quick Facts
- Location: Reims, Champagne, France
- Founded: 1734
- Acquired by Taittinger family: 1932
- House identity: Chardonnay-focused Champagne
- Signature cuvée: Brut Réserve
- Prestige cuvée: Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs
- Secondary prestige cuvée: Comtes de Champagne Rosé
- Historic cellars: 13th-century crayères beneath the former Abbey of Saint-Nicaise
- Vineyard holdings: Approximately 288 hectares, including Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites
- Key terroirs: Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims
- Key styles: Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Rosé, Prélude Grands Crus and vintage Champagne
- Ownership: Family-owned
From Abbey to Champagne House
The origins of Champagne Taittinger trace back to 1734, when the house was established as Maison Forest-Fourneaux. Nearly two centuries later, in 1932, Pierre Taittinger acquired the business and renamed it, establishing the family's enduring association with one of Reims's most historic Champagne producers.
The Taittinger family has remained in control across four generations, maintaining continuity of ownership and a consistent commitment to craftsmanship. This independence has allowed the house to preserve its signature emphasis on Chardonnay and extended cellar ageing.
The Chardonnay Foundation
Chardonnay forms the structural and stylistic foundation of Taittinger's Champagnes, typically comprising a higher proportion of the blend than at many other houses. This choice creates wines recognised for their luminosity, floral aromatics and graceful balance rather than overt power.
Brut Réserve, the house's signature non-vintage cuvée, reflects this philosophy with approximately 40 percent Chardonnay complemented by Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The result is a Champagne of freshness, finesse and accessible elegance.
At the summit of the portfolio stands Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, produced entirely from Grand Cru Chardonnay sourced from the Côte des Blancs. First released with the 1952 vintage, it has become one of Champagne's benchmark prestige cuvées, distinguished by its purity, tension and remarkable longevity. Comtes de Champagne Rosé, introduced later, combines Grand Cru Chardonnay with a small proportion of Pinot Noir to create a structured, fruit-driven expression.
The Crayères of Saint-Nicaise
Beneath the house's headquarters in Reims lies an extraordinary network of ancient chalk quarries. These crayères, carved from the 4th century onwards and later expanded beneath the Abbey of Saint-Nicaise, date in part from the 13th century and extend across multiple levels beneath the city.
The galleries descend as deep as 18 metres and provide darkness, natural humidity and constant temperatures ideal for the slow maturation of Champagne. Their chalk walls are inscribed with historic carvings and graffiti, linking the house's wines directly to centuries of Reims history.
These cellars form part of the Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, acknowledging their cultural and geological significance within the region's winemaking heritage.
Freshness Shaped by Time
Taittinger's winemaking approach prioritises balance and extended ageing. Non-vintage cuvées mature for longer than the legal minimum, while prestige bottlings spend several years on their lees before disgorgement, developing complexity, texture and aromatic depth.
The house's reliance on Chardonnay, combined with patient cellar work, produces Champagnes that express elegance rather than weight. The wines are characterised by fine mousse, citrus and white-blossom aromatics, mineral structure and a persistent, gently evolving finish that reflects both the chalk soils of the Côte des Blancs and the historic crayères in which they mature.
