Piper-Heidsieck Rare 1988

Piper-Heidsieck Rare is a truly unique prestige cuvée. In the summer of 1976, an unprecedented heatwave struck France, the likes of which the Champagne region had never experienced before. Piper-Heidsieck's winemaking team began to wonder: could it be possible to create a cuvée given the remarkable conditions? Taming the natural forces was no easy task and when assemblage was complete and the final blend bottled, the team were so proud of the final product, they called it Rare. A testament to exceptional vintages where nature unleashes its forces, Rare cuvées are only produced in supernatural years. Piper-Heidsieck Rare 1998 is only the fifth vintage of Piper-Heidseick Rare ever created.

Weather: The 1988 vintage was a late, rainy season with a good yield and perfect acidity. Generally considered a very good vintage, champagnes from this year are typically full-bodied and will remain in a condition of wonderful balance for a long time to come. Harvesting began relatively late: September 26th for the Pinot Noir and Meunier and September 27th for the Chardonnay. An average 9.3 alcohol level and 9.6 g/L acidity at harvest time resulted in a balance that can be characterised as taut.

A re-release in 2017 of the original 1994 disgorgement.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Chardonnay: Avize, Chouilly, Oger, Trépail, Villers-Marmery | Pinot Noir: Ambonnay, Ludes, Verzy
Grape Varieties: 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir
Ageing: 5 years on the lees
Disgorged: 1994
Dosage: 10 g/l
Drink: Now to 2030+

Tasting Note: A golden colour with lovely nutty aromas on the nose, the palate is bold with hints of cinnamon and brioche, a well balanced and develop champagne with plenty of fruits and energy. The finish is long with apples and honey right through to the end.

Piper-Heidsieck's roots trace back to Florens-Louis Heidsieck, who created the original company of Heidsieck & Co to pursue his ambition of “creating a cuvée worthy of a queen”. He fulfilled his dream perhaps earlier than anyone could have expected: once Marie Antoinette had tasted his creation, she became the first Heidsieck & Co ambassador. Florens-Louis’ nephew, Christian Heidsieck joined the venture alongside Guillaume Piper and once Florens-Louis died in 1828, the duo decided to continue the adventure side by side, founding Champagne Piper-Heidsieck.

Today, production occurs alongside sister company Charles Heidsieck in an ultra-modern functional cuverie on the southern outskirts of Reims. Their characteristics differ quite considerably, with Piper opting for a fruitier and lighter style of base wines. In recent times, the House has shifted from royal accolades to becoming a favourite amongst celebrity stars. Indeed, the legendary Marilyn Monroe famously declared in 1953: “I go to bed with a few drops of Chanel No. 5 and I wake up each morning to a glass of Piper-Heidsieck; it warms me up.”

The prestige cuvée Rare Champagne became its own brand in September 2018. Previously labelled, marketed and sold under the Piper-Heidsieck name, Rare Champagne is now managed and labelled independently. Previous Piper-Heidsieck Cellar Master Régis Camus has subsequently assumed the new role of Cellar Master for Rare Champagne.

Cellar Master: Émilien Boutillat
Winery Location: Reims | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Montagne de Reims
Annual Production (bottles): 8,000,000