Champagne Rare 2006
Well, it is a special occasion…
This is a little steep for a lot of readers, but quite frankly, we are huge fans of this vintage brut from Piper Heidsieck. Régis Camus selects wines made from the fruit of Grand Cru vineyards for every vintage. This one uses Chardonnay from the house’s Avize, Oger, Villers-Marmery Grand Cru vineyards, and some Pinot Noir from Verzy.
Thanks to a long ageing period (11 years on the lees), this is a wine full of complex aromas of grilled nuts and wood-smoke, along with a lemony lift from the Chardonnay, and hazelnuts with honeyed toast on the palate, while exotic fruits also make an appearance.
We’ve been told that people who order the Rare often prise off the gold filigree from this opulent bottle and repurpose it as an item of jewellery, so this could double-up as a last-ditch Christmas present if you’ve left it too late.
If you’ve got the money to burn, this is a very decent bottle to burn it on.
Medal: Master – The Champagne Masters, 2019
The price: £190
Find it: Selfridges for £195, or between £180 and £186 at The Finest Bubble, depending on how many you order.
