TN: 08 Taittinger CdC

Andrew_K · June 13, 2021, 5:44am

What this thread is about.

2008 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut

Zachary_Mancini · June 13, 2021, 5:46am

I just didn’t know the acronym CDC. Thought it was a place that the 08 Taittinger was bought.

crickey · June 13, 2021, 1:28pm

whwc (Woodland Hills Wine Company) is the store. It was, I assume, a one-off deal. Woodland pre-offered it long before it was released at a price that was, reading the tea leaves, well below wholesale cost. Either they got a sweetheart deal themselves somehow or they lost their shirt. It’s available there currently at $200.

Zachary_Mancini · June 13, 2021, 3:13pm

Copy thanks for the info!

Matt_Fleming · June 13, 2021, 6:15pm

Unfortunately, I don’t have unlimited resources. I think my money was better spent buying 2012 Cristal and Krug 168eme.a

I have lots of all 3 of those champagnes but if your choices were 12 cristal at $200, and the other two at $150 the CDC is where the smart money is. You could make the argument that if both 12 Cristal and 08 CDC were $200 the Cristal is a better buy; I won’t argue with that.

I’ve had a bunch of 08 and 12 Cristal lately and I don’t agree with William; I think the 08 is better and don’t think it’s close, even though the 12 is very good. I’m excited for the 13 and went very long, though.

If all three were at $150, and I could only buy one, my choice would be Comtes. No doubt.

But I agree with Sarah. A lot of hand wringing going on here. We are all experienced enough buyers here to drown out the noise, make our choices, and move on.

the most exquisite handwringing: debating $10 in the cost of reliably magnificent tête de cuvée, vintage champagne. $10 doesn’t get a skinny person past the Wendy’s drive-thru window.

Michael_S_Monie · June 13, 2021, 6:40pm

There sure has been a lot of fuzzy math in his thread!

Sarah_Kirschbaum · June 13, 2021, 6:49pm

Here are my thoughts:

2008 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne (6/12/2021)
Opened after dinner based on recent reports that it is showing well young. Served on the colder side and allowed to warm in the glass (GGGs), drank over about 2 hours. I swear I could smell the wine as JR was pouring it into the glasses as he sat at the other end of the couch. Just phenomenal, powerful and compelling nose, citrus driven, some floral elements, fresh baked pastry crust brushed with butter, maybe a little honey. It might as well have been a perfect lemon bar from the nose. On the palate the concentration is off the charts, amazing, firmly coilled but softly not tight. Like a perfect little package of cat when they tuck in all paws, head and tail. Plenty of taught acidity keeping everything firmly in place, reverberates across the tongue. There’s still a good amount of baby fat, as one would expect, that I expect will retreat and reveal more delineation. I believe this was the best young CdCs I’ve had, and perhaps the best young champagne period, though that’s less certain. I think this could have the bones and the beauty to give the great 1995 a run for its money in time, and that is my favorite vintage of my lifetime. Gorgeous and exciting and deeply, deeply satisfying. Great wine.

Posted from CellarTracker

Andrew_K · June 13, 2021, 6:57pm

I’m not sure you can really say a crazy one off deal that was probably a computer or human error is the “going price”. Maybe using some combination of sale + cash back + coupon you can get a bottle or two for $150 or something or maybe even $125, but other than that, it’s basically a $200 wine.

Michael_S_Monie · June 13, 2021, 7:02pm

Okay, Sarah, I’m persuaded. I’m going to get a test bottle.

MChang · June 13, 2021, 8:37pm

Not necessarily saying that’s the going price but it certainly colors my opinion of the price because some of us got a LOT of 08 cdc from that sale.

alan_weinberg · June 13, 2021, 8:58pm

I have lots of all 3 of those champagnes but if your choices were 12 cristal at $200, and the other two at $150 the CDC is where the smart money is. You could make the argument that if both 12 Cristal and 08 CDC were $200 the Cristal is a better buy; I won’t argue with that.

I’ve had a bunch of 08 and 12 Cristal lately and I don’t agree with William; I think the 08 is better and don’t think it’s close, even though the 12 is very good. I’m excited for the 13 and went very long, though.

If all three were at $150, and I could only buy one, my choice would be Comtes. No doubt.

But I agree with Sarah. A lot of hand wringing going on here. We are all experienced enough buyers here to drown out the noise, make our choices, and move on.

the most exquisite handwringing: debating $10 in the cost of reliably magnificent tête de cuvée, vintage champagne. $10 doesn’t get a skinny person past the Wendy’s drive-thru window.

matters for a 2 case purchase.

alan_weinberg · June 13, 2021, 9:00pm

I have lots of all 3 of those champagnes but if your choices were 12 cristal at $200, and the other two at $150 the CDC is where the smart money is. You could make the argument that if both 12 Cristal and 08 CDC were $200 the Cristal is a better buy; I won’t argue with that.

I’ve had a bunch of 08 and 12 Cristal lately and I don’t agree with William; I think the 08 is better and don’t think it’s close, even though the 12 is very good. I’m excited for the 13 and went very long, though.

If all three were at $150, and I could only buy one, my choice would be Comtes. No doubt.

But I agree with Sarah. A lot of hand wringing going on here. We are all experienced enough buyers here to drown out the noise, make our choices, and move on.

the most exquisite handwringing: debating $10 in the cost of reliably magnificent tête de cuvée, vintage champagne. $10 doesn’t get a skinny person past the Wendy’s drive-thru window.

it matters when you want two more cases.

Craig_G · June 13, 2021, 11:12pm

Even I thought so, and I’m not traditionally someone who “gets” CDC. I liked your 2005 too, though.

Andrew_K · June 14, 2021, 12:15am

Indeed. Or 5 or 10…