NV Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie

Derived entirely from the 2018 vintage and disgorged in January 2024 with a dosage of nine grams per liter, Taittinger’s NV Folies de la Marquetterie is the usual blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, with 30% of the vins clairs fermented in 42-liter wooden foudres. The fruit was originally sourced exclusively from the family’s Château de la Marquetterie holdings in Pierry but now incorporates 14 parcels from Pierry, Trépail, Hautvillers, Verzenay and Mailly-Champagne. One of the fuller-bodied, broader-shouldered wines in the range, it offers aromas of pear, lemon confit and warm brioche with a gentle reductive inflection, followed by a vinous, succulent palate with a sweet core of fruit, ripe yet vibrant acids and an enveloping finish, where delicate phenolic bitters assert themselves. It is a cuvée that never requires chaptalization—least of all in the warm, dry 2018 vintage, when harvest commenced at the end of August—and it delivers a more gourmand profile that benefits from a bit of time under cork to fully unfurl.

The NV Champagne Folies De La Marquetterie Brut is made with 55% Pinot Noir (notable, given that Taittinger is a Chard house) all coming from the Premiere Cru Pierry (which is around the castle) and the rest Chardonnay. About 30-35% of the Pinot Noir was raised in old oak barrels, with the base vintage of 2017, and 10-20% reserve wine. The wine takes on a savory note and is a bit tropical in its profile, with ripe pineapple, golden fruit, fresh flowers, and a light herbaceous tone. Rounded and full-bodied, with the oak adding a bit of texture over its imprint on the wine, it has a silky, luxurious, ripe profile with a fluffy mousse and a clean, savory finish. Generous and open now, it will provide a solid drinking window over the next 5-8 years. 9 grams per liter dosage. 75,000 bottles produced.

This is a fruity Champagne with cooked-apple, strawberry and pear flavors. Round and easy with freshness and softness. Opulent and lightly tannic. Drink now.