2002 - Piper Heidsieck, Rare

Disgorged in 2017 with a dosage of nine grams per liter, the 2002 Rare Millésime continues to drink superbly, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet of tropical fruit, buttered toast, roasted cacao beans, caramelized sugar and a faint hint of rum. The palate is full-bodied, ample and mouthfilling yet fresh and tensile at its core, buoyed by bright acidity and culminating in a long, toasty, delicately saline finish. Beginning to show subtle maturity through darker fruit tones, it remains a balanced and generous rendition that will delight lovers of maturing Champagne while retaining the capacity to withstand the test of time.

(mostly chardonnay, with some pinot noir; L136050): Light, bright gold. An intensely perfumed bouquet evokes candied orange, pear and ginger, with building floral and spice nuances. Juicy and precise on the palate, offering an array of citrus and floral flavors that become richer with air. A hint of nuttiness arrives on the finish, which is spicy, focused and very long. This Champagne seems set for a long life.