The 2014 Comtes de Champagne is Chardonnay at its best. Only the finest fruit made it in, so quantities are way down compared to 2013, but the quality is superb. It’s the last of a run of cooler vintages in Champagne and already being hailed as a must-have for Champagne lovers.

Taittinger itself has a long backstory. Founded in 1734, it was taken on by Pierre Taittinger in 1931 after his WWI service in the region, and unusually for a big name, it’s still family-run today by Pierre’s great-grandchildren, Vitalie and Clovis. The cellars in Reims sit on 4th-century chalk caves that once belonged to Benedictine monks, and the deep cool conditions are spot-on for ageing Champagne slowly and gracefully.

Comtes de Champagne is the jewel in the crown: crafted only in the best years, from the first pressings, and aged for a full decade deep underground before release. Presented in elegant antique-style bottles, it’s one of the most iconic Blanc de Blancs in Champagne.