PIPER-HEIDSIECK - Rare 2013 perfectly embodies the house's signature, offering unlimited potential for growth, youth and complexity. The year 2013 is considered one of the most beautiful in recent years in Champagne. After a cold winter and spring, punctuated by chaotic rainfall, the summer combined sun, drought and storms. A sudden change in weather conditions occurred in September: an autumnal coolness set in, accentuated by powerful winds, forcing the harvest to begin late, in October. Without a doubt, 2013 is an exceptional year in Champagne. The Rare cuvée is made from 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. They come exclusively from Grands and Premiers Crus. The minimum ageing time of the bottles on lees is 10 years. This process allows to elevate and amplify the aromatic bouquet of the champagne. Visually, the intensity of the crystalline gold color is reminiscent of a yellow diamond, dotted with a fine and joyful effervescence. On the nose, the vintage initially reveals a straight purity. Under the effect of the ambient temperature in the glass, the bouquet unfolds with infinitely perfumed accords of orange blossom, hyacinth and white flowers. Then, it opens with notes of vanilla flower, fresh coconut, Williams pear, fresh almond, mandarin and blackcurrant bud. A second nose reveals a refined and saline minerality, signing an iodized-smoky harmony enhanced with a hint of liquorice. On the palate, the aromatic sensations gradually unfold, revealing notes of fresh pineapple, passion fruit, kiwi, coconut and tangy citrus fruits. The remarkable and iodized finish, punctuated with salinity, prolongs this discovery of a pure and infinite spring.
“Rare, it’s all in the word. A demand for beauty, a sought-after perfection, an expression of the exceptional. It’s a style, our signature.” — Maud Rabin,
Awards : 91/100 Revue du Vin de France, 96/100 Decanter, 3 stars Hachette, 99/100 Bettane & Desseauve and 96/100 Gault & Millau.
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