Deep Cover: Per Vinous, here’s “a truly brilliant epic Champagne that no one who loves the very best in Champagne will want to be without.”

Are you one of those “victims”? Your devout Spies are here to fix that today!

A no-brainer top-of-the-line luxury at a rock-bottom price that is 40% off the retail tag. Indulge yourself. Loaded with a battalion of massive scores in the 96-99 range, this is not one you want to let pass you by. As Vitalie Taittinger says for their Comtes de Champagne, “if only once in your life…”

For a vertical tasting of this icon back to the 1971 vintage, Vinous wrote “Savvy consumers know, Comtes de Champagnes is one of the most profound wines readers will come across, particularly with some bottle age. First produced in 1952, Comtes de Champagne has built a track record of excellence equaled by very few Champagnes. Young Comtes de Champagne is intensely mineral and focused, with bright citrus, minerals and flowers dominating the flavor profile. As it ages, Comtes often acquires a signature liqueur-like inner sweetness that is not found in any other mature Champagne. Readers who are familiar with aged Comtes know well the magical qualities the wine acquires over time. At its finest, Comtes is a totally beguiling, compelling Champagne with few peers.”

Be beguiled. Life is short, and more importantly, allocations are small.

99 Points – James Suckling

“Fantastic complexity here with aromas of toast, biscuit, lemon, almond, chalk and some fennel. It’s long, sleek and mineral, with tight, very fine bubbles and so much tension and precision. Very long and chalky finish. Disgorged end of 2023. Drink or hold.”

98 Points, Cellar Selection – Wine Enthusiast

“This beautiful Chardonnay from five top Grand Cru vineyards is textured with fruit that is still impressively perfumed. Its concentration has allowed it to remain perennially young. Although there are hints of toastiness, the Champagne has many more years of potential. Drink now and at least up to 2027.”

98 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“The 2013 Comtes de Champagne captures all the pedigree of this great vintage in its energy, depth and vibrancy. Lemon confit, dried flowers, chamomile, spice and crushed rocks all race across the palate. Passionfruit, ginger, marzipan and mint appear later, filling out the layers beautifully. Harvest took place in October in what has become the exception rather than the norm in Champagne. Drink 2023-2043.”

97 Points – Jasper Morris MW

“After the relatively easygoing 2012 comes the more serious 2013 vintage. A long growing season with a late harvest has marked the wine with intense acids. The aromas are also cool and intense: lemony fruit on the palate is fragranced with just a hint of coffee beans. As the wine warms in the glass, herbaceous nuances emerge (and a dusting of almonds for good measure). Full of nervy energy from start to finish, the mid-palate interjects a ripe juiciness, hinting at the oft-ignored ripeness of this vintage. The acidity and extended lees aging have imparted a delicate salinity on the long, complex finish. Phenominally phenolic! This precise and fresh rendition of Comtes de Champagne may threaten to topple 2008 from its throne in the decades ahead. Excellent! Drink from 2028-2055.”

96 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“This concise review highlights Taittinger’s newly released 2013 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne, a standout cuvée from the house, shaped by the vintage’s classic profile. Aficionados of this cuvée will be pleased to find that it exemplifies the distinctive style that has garnered Comtes’s global recognition. The bouquet is compellingly fresh and minty, revealing aromas of white fruit—notably pear and apple—marzipan and sweet spices, as well as a light touch of citrus mingled with classy autolytic notes. On the palate, this is a structured, tensile and ethereal Champagne with high acidity—a sign of a classic vintage—animated by a mousse of striking finesse and delicacy. Although already enjoyable, it should develop well for several decades. Drink 2023-2045.”