Empire Merchants
Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut Millesime 2012 750ml
Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut Millesime 2012 750ml
FRANCE : CHAMPAGNE
CONVENTIONAL : Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
FULL-BODIED, BRIOCHE, CITRUS, GRILLED NUT, MINERAL, NO OAK
Rare Millesime is Piper-Heidsieck's prestige cuvee, produced only in exceptional vintages — 13 releases in over four decades. The 2012 blends 70% Chardonnay from Grand Cru sites including Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize, and Villers-Marmery with 30% Pinot Noir from Verzy, Ay, and Ambonnay. Full malolactic fermentation; 8 g/L dosage.
After 10 years on the lees — more than three times the vintage minimum — the wine was disgorged in November 2023. 2012 is one of Champagne's three 5-star vintages since 2000, alongside 2002 and 2008. Spring frosts cut yields by 20–40%, but the fruit that survived is concentrated and structured for the long haul. James Suckling 97 pts. Decanter Best of Show 97 pts.
PAIRINGS :
| Oysters on the half shell | brine and iodine mirror the saline mineral finish |
| Lobster with beurre blanc | shell richness and cream match the wine's textural depth |
| Sea scallops with cauliflower puree | delicate sweetness plays against the bright citrus spine |
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