Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé 2013

This shows fragrant grapefruit, wild raspberry, iodine, honey, blood orange, salty bread and hazelnut aromas. It's sleek, taut and superbly fresh on the palate. The red and orange citrus pinot noir character is singing at the moment, accompanied by salty and mineral nuances. Seamless and long, and taut at the end. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, all from grand cru sites. Drinkable now, but will be better in a few years.

After the immediately joyous 2012 release, 2013 continues to show the refinement underway with this lesser-known sibling to Taittinger's Comtes de Champagne blanc, albeit from an entirely different vintage with a more reserved, subtle character. The Pinot Noir dominance, and especially the beautifully fragrant red wine addition (13% of the blend) is clear up front with sweet, juicy red cherry and poached strawberry fruitiness. But the potential of this wine is just emerging with both a rush of racy Chardonnay energy, candied blood orange juiciness, creamy lees-ageing texture and aromatic details of spearmint, flinty reductive charry notes and hibiscus. It hints at complexity which will heighten with time on cork. 2013's natural brightness is here, but this remains glossy and approachable in youth; even two years of further ageing will see it unfold beautifully.