Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2006

Toasted brioche, baked apple, white flowers and a thread of honey give way to something deeper, roasted nuts, preserved lemon and a stony, flinty undercurrent that keeps the richness in check. Fine bubbles carry the wine with a creamy, sustained energy, briny and bright at the edges. Pure Côte des Blancs Chardonnay authority, fully realized. Still drinking beautifully, with years ahead.