1986 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne

Burnished amber in hue, the 1986 Comtes de Champagne has a fully mature nose of grilled hazelnut, marmalade and brioche, with a touch of dried orange rind. Aromatically, this is perhaps just a bit long in tooth for those who prefer their sparklers young. The palate is well balanced, however, with notes of brioche, Turkish delight, desiccated orange peel and dried honey. I drank this 1986 from magnum a year earlier and, truth be told, this bottle was not a patch on that showing. Based on this, I would drink the 1986 sooner rather than later, though magnums look like the better option.