6 lots of exceptional Champagne Taittinger Collection auctioned at Artcurial on June 15
This Artcurial auction sale features 6 lots of Champagne Taittinger Collection in different vintages from 1978 to 1986.
Taittinger imagined this collection as a collaboration between a renowned contemporary artist and the champagne house, starting with the 1978 vintage illustrated by Victor Vasarely.
The blends making up this prestige cuvée are exclusively grand cuvées millésimées, with only 13 editions to date.
“I chose to present the 1983 vintage dressed by Viera da Silva, an incredibly modern pictorial artist whose work evolved into non-figurative at the end of his career,” explains Laurie Matheson, Wine Expert.
Spirits Hunters: Why is champagne the happy spirit, why is it so joyful?
Laurie Matheson: The Champagne Taittinger Collection bottles bring a joyful touch to the table with their artistic packaging, but above all, they are rich, complex meal wines to pair with refined dishes ranging from poultry with morels, ceps, and chanterelles to white-fleshed fish such as turbot, monkfish, and caviar, of course.
The bottle is wrapped in an illustrated plastic sheath, which protects the champagne from light and helps it age better in the cellar.
Please note, however, that these are not sculptures to be considered works of art to be placed on the mantelpiece; these are great champagnes that need to be cellared for their proper conservation and tasting.
Vintage 1938 dressed by Viera da Silva, 2nd from left – Lot 1072, vintage 1983, estimate 150/160€.
Spirits Hunters: Everyone talks about the size of the bubbles, what does that mean to you?
Laurie Matheson : The subject of champagne’s festive bubbles animates many conversations. Their size, liveliness, and persistence do indeed have meaning. The longer a champagne ages in the right conditions, slowly in a damp, cool cellar (around 12°), the finer and more persistent the bubbles. The cellars of the producers in this region allow for this, as they are underground, several meters deep in limestone rock for the most part.
The quality of the bubbles indicates that the champagne is of greater or lesser quality and complexity. Vintage champagnes and grand cuvées that have been aged for a long time in the cellar (before being put on the market) have very fine, lively cords of bubbles, with a brilliant, gourmet sparkle.
Cheers!
Artcurial Fine Wine and Spirits Auction – Champagne Taittinger Collection
Thursday, June 15th.
Hôtel Marcel Dassault
7 rond-point des Champs-Élysées
75008 Paris; France
Access the auction page: www.artcurial.com
Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.
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