During a night of celebration at the Art Gallery of New South Wales to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) in October, guests toasted the achievement with Taittinger’s 2013 Comtes de Champagne.
Guests at a recent gala dinner held at Sydney’s Art Gallery of New South Wales celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) in fine style, toasting with a glass of 2013 Comtes de Champagne.
The evening of celebration on 23 October 2025 raised funds for the ACO Foundations, which provides underprivileged children with music education and the greater opportunities to participate in school communities in Australia. Guests enjoyed a meal prepared by famous Australian chef Matt Morgan matched with Taittinger Cuvée Prestige NV Brut, which followed the Comtes vintage Champagne. The ACO performed with primary school students from Sydney St Marys North Public School from Sydney’s western region while dining among fine pieces of art.
Taittinger has been partnering with the Sydney-based ACO for 11 years. To mark that partnership, guests enjoyed 2013 Comtes vintage Champagne served as an aperitif on the historic steps of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It was a fitting combination, with the gallery being Sydney’s premier art institution for over a century.
Sales of prestige Champagne cuvees, like Champagne Taittinger Comtes, are growing in Australia, which is one of the world’s highest consumers of Champagne per capita. Taittinger is ranked third in the most champagne listings in Australia, according to the 2025 Wine Business Solutions on-premise report. Recent trends indicate that Australians are drinking Champagne on regular occasions, with no excuse necessary for the indulgence. Whether it’s high tea or just time for tea, Champagne is gracing our tables or filling our flutes more often.
According to Christian Pretto, NSW state manager of local Taittinger distributor, Mezzanine, Australia is a strong market for the consumption of Champagne. “Australia as a Champagne market is driven by non-vintage wines, and it is potentially not as mature as other markets when it comes to vintage Champagne. However, sales of Champagne Taittinger Comtes are quite strong and growing, and that growth indicates a move toward more premium and vintage Champagne,” he said.
The 2014 Champagne Taittinger Comtes will be available for sale by the end of November, with the wine now arriving in Sydney. The Comtes de Champagne is the finest example of a Taittinger Champagne. Sourced from the five Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs region, the wine undergoes ten years of aging on lees and embodies refined freshness, restrained energy, and radiant purity and has significant aging potential.
Australia is a significant export Champagne destination. Total Bottles imported into Australia in 2024 were 7.297 million bottles of Champagne, down from 6th in 2023. The Australian consumer’s high per capita rate is due to its relatively smaller population absorbing a large number of imports compared to large Champagne customers like the US.
