The vitality and reach of the Taittinger brand are based on the values of those who embody it today. These values are inherited from those who created the Champagne House. Over three generations, a number of people have left their mark on the history, spirit and style of Taittinger and, beyond that, on the image of Champagne itself. Vision, inspiration, strategy, development and influence have all contributed to permanently shaping the destiny of the family and the reputation of the Champagne House.
In 1915, a young officer from Paris, Pierre Taittinger was assigned to the chief of staff of General de Castelnau,who was based at the Château de la Marquetterie, located in the heart of the vineyards in Champagne. Pierre Taittinger fell in love with the Château. He could not have foreseen that one day it would become the start of a family destiny. He became a prominent politician and an MP for Paris. He was looking to set up a home in the Champagne region when he bought the Château in 1932. He joined forces with his brother-in-law, Paul Evêque and two years later also bought the Forest-Fourneaux Champagne House, which was one of the oldest in Champagne.
The foundations for the Taittinger venture in Champagne were now in place. Pierre Taittinger also loved French haute cuisine. With his understanding and vision in this area, he developed the style of the Champagne House’s wines. Pierre Taittinger was very involved in his life in politics until 1940, so he relied on Paul Evêque, and then his sons, François, Jean and Claude to run the business.
François joined the business right at the start of the Second World War and gradually took on more responsibility despite his young age. He managed Taittinger from 1945 until his accidental death in 1960. After the war years, he planned the future of the Champagne House and prepared the business for it. He was already aware of international competition threatening the Champagne Houses at the end of the war, and the necessity for Taittinger to maintain its rightful place. In view of this, and in a move which was daring at the time, he renamed the Champagne House’s production so that it carried the family name. The Taittinger brand was born.
When Jean Taittinger, the son of Pierre, joined the Taittinger Champagne House in 1946, his brother François gave him the task of developing the land belonging to Taittinger and improving the quality of its vineyards. With the death of his brother in 1960, Claude Taittinger was appointed by the family to take over the reins of running the Champagne House. He was a globe-trotter, aesthete and art lover, and positioned the brand in a world of elegance and connections. This is illustrated by the creation of the Taittinger Culinary Award and the Taittinger Collection in particular. He also expanded the Taittinger domaine, by planting nearly 140 hectares of vines in the 1960s.
The Taittinger family has managed the Champagne House for nearly a century. Its aim has always been the pursuit of excellence. Having their family name on the bottle places demands and responsibilities. The name also conveys both the skills and knowledge of the past and a commitment to the future. Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger has embodied this commitment for 40 years and today he shares it with his son, Clovis and his daughter, Vitalie who both work alongside him in the day-to-day running of the Champagne House. Together, they create a very close-knit and complementary family trio.
The vineyard is one of the largest domaine in Champagne certified High Environmental Value. The Taittinger vineyard has increased in size over the generations and now covers 288 hectares, making it the third largest domaine in Champagne.
Furthermore, the Champagne House has the biggest intramuros vineyard of the city of Reims situated in Val-de-Murigny near the first Roman road connecting Reims to Epernay. It is planted with 37% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier vines distributed equally across 37 different crus which are amongst the best in the Champagne appellation.
The vineyard is a perfect reflection of the Taittinger style. It provides 45% of what the Champagne House needs and is a great asset when it comes to controlling the quality of blends within the framework of responsible viticulture practices which have been awarded a high environmental quality accreditation.
