Taittinger Prélude Grand Crus, Champagne

The wine is subtle and fresh on the nose. The initial mineral aromas quickly give way to green and then floral notes with the fragrance of elderflowers and spicy cinnamon undertones.

The entry onto the palate is clean and lively, dominated by very exceedingly fresh citrus notes. These segue into much fuller, rounder and silkier flavours where white peaches in syrup predominate. The finish is rich, lingering and bursting with flavour. Prelude Grands Crus is a joyous blend of finesse and complexity. its balance of freshness and aromatic expression is outstanding.

An equal blend of chardonnay and pinot noir from Taittinger's top Grand Cru vineyards, with five years maturation on the yeast lees in bottle. Absolutely top Champagne with Taittinger's signature etherealness and purity. Fresh baguette crust with a hint of oyster shell-mineral and subtle citrus flavours.

96 points Bob Campbell therealreview.com 18 December 2019

The new release of Taittinger's NV Brut Prélude Grands Crus was disgorged last year after six years sur lattes and finished with a dosage of six grams per liter. Offering up aromas of pear, stone fruits, warm brioche, white flowers and iodine, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and incisive, with fine depth at the core, racy acids and a long, penetrating finish. Based on the 2013 vintage and sourced largely from Avize, Mesnil, Mailly and Verzenay, as I've written before, this is an excellent bottling that flies somewhat under the radar.

William Kelley robertparker.com Drink 2020-2038