History of Champagne Taittinger, Recommended by Whom You Know
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Champagne Taittinger's Illustrious History! We thought you would enjoy it!
It was in this year that Thibaud IV, Count of Champagne, King of Navarre and poet deeply in love with his aunt, the White Queen of Castile, returned from the crusade bearing two treasures from Cyprus. The first was one of the world’s most beautiful roses, the Damask. The second, a vine, an ancestor of the Chardonnay variety, which would become the mark of Maison Taittinger, the sign of the family’s elegant wines.
In 1734, Jacques Fourneaux entered the Champagne adventure at a time when the Benedictine abbeys of Hautvillers, Pierry, Verzy and Saint-Nicaise in Reims owned the finest vineyards and made their first sparkling wines. His son, advisor to the king, frequently travelled abroad and contributed to the company’s growth.
The company Forest & Fourneaux prospered and in 1918 moved to the Demeure des Comtes de Champagne (the one-time residence of Thibaud IV).
Fourteen years later Pierre Taittinger took control of this flourishing Champagne house.
His son François, an innovative man with great foresight, decided that Chardonnay would be the brand’s dominant grape variety.
This signature style has earned Champagne Taittinger a worldwide reputation of excellence.
Timeline
1240
Thibaud IV, Count of Champagne, King of Navarre and poet, returned from Cyprus with a vine plant, an ancestor of the Chardonnay variety.
1734
Jacques Fourneaux, a Champagne wine merchant, founded the company that would later become Taittinger.
1870
The Taittinger family left the Lorraine region after the Treaty of Frankfurt and moved to Paris.
1915
General de Castelnau set up his headquarters at Château de la Marquetterie during the Battle of Champagne. A young officer at the time, Pierre Taittinger fell in love with the property and swore to return when he made it back from war safe and sound.
1932
Pierre Taittinger bought Château de la Marquetterie, whose vines were planted in the 18th century by Brother Oudart, a Benedictine monk and one of the founding fathers of Champagne.
1945
François Taittinger defi ned the style and signature of Taittinger. He died in 1960 following an accident when the Champagne house was going from strength to strength.
1960
His younger brother Claude Taittinger took over the helm of the company until 2006.
1988
Together with the Kopf family who distributed the brand in the United States,
Champagne Taittinger founded the Carneros estate (Napa Valley).
2006
Supported by his brothers and sisters and father Jean Taittinger, presently Honorary President, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger bought and managed the Champagne that bore his family name.
The family
The Champagne houses that today, still bear the name of their owner and head are few and far between.
In the case of Taittinger, the name represents not just one man but an entire family.
A passionate family that holds high standards and never compromises on quality. As Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger himself once said: “We prefer to produce fewer bottles of Champagne so that each one, the moment the cork is popped, delights, enchants and demonstrates that excellence is not myth but reality.
Our wine growers; patient and irreplaceable, our dedicated tasting and blending teams and our enthusiastic and highly experienced family work as one. Together we share the same vision: to keep the wonderful adventure of Champagne Taittinger alive for years to come.
Vitalie Taittinger.
1979
Vitalie , the daughter of Pierre-Emmanuel and Claire Taittinger was born in Reims.
2002
A graduate of the Emile Cohl art school in Lyon, where she studied illustration and graphic design, Vitalie completed her studies by writing a thesis on Alfred Courmes, a painter in the early 20th century.
2007
She joined her father in the new family venture and took over the company’s artistic direction.
Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger.
1953
Pierre-Emmanuel, the son of Jean and Corinne Taittinger and grandson of Pierre Taittinger, the founder of the Champagne house, was born in Reims.
1976
He joined the family business alongside his uncle Claude.
2006
After overseeing the buyout with the support of Crédit Agricole du Nord-Est, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger took over management of the company, of which he is now President. He is also chairman of the Carneros Estate.
He was appointed Commander of the “Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne” (Order of the Champagne Hills) in 2009.
Clovis Taittinger.
1978
Born in Chamonix, Clovis is the eldest son of Pierre-Emmanuel and Claire Taittinger.
2000
After graduating from the EDHEC business school with a history degree, he started his professional career as a consultant before starting his own business in property development and hotels.
2007
He joined the family Champagne business where his chief responsibilities lie in the field of export.
