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  • Country ranking ?

    754
  • Producer ranking ?

    8
  • Decanting time

    10 min
  • When to drink

    Now–2030
  • Food Pairing

    Grilled scallops, Foie Gras mi-cuit & Tikka Masala

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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96 points Wine Spectator

Aromas and flavors of toasted brioche and grilled nut enrich the yellow plum, nectarine and grated ginger notes of this rich and creamy Champagne. Finely woven and beautifully integrated, with a firm backbone of mouthwatering acidity providing precise balance for the lush range of flavor. (AN) 

94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 The 2006 Brut Cuvée Rare is a rich, gourmand rendition of this prestige bottling, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet that mingles aromas of yellow orchard fruit, pears and fresh pineapple with nuances of buttered toast, iodine and smoke. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and textural, while remaining fresh and surprisingly tight-knit at the core, concluding with a long and saline finish. There's sufficient structural tension here to promise more than a decade's graceful evolution, and although this is nicely balanced, it's a generous, sun kissed rendition of the Cuvée Rare that reflects the warm vintage. (WK)

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The Story

The noble origin of Rare Champagne dates back to a tribute to Marie-Antoinette and expresses its revolutionary spirit fight against the trivialisation of vintages.

Over the last forty years, Rare Champagne has only declared eleven vintages, the most demanding in Champagne, all in limited production.

Since 1976, the House has only released 8 vintages of Rare: 1976, 1979,1985, 1988, 1990, 1998 en Magnum, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2008 and now 2013,” says Régis Camus, chef de caves and chief winemaker at Maison Piper-Heidsieck. “Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002 was my first Rare vintage so I am particularly honoured to hear that it has been selected as the number one champagne in the world by FINE Champagne Magazine.”

Each Rare Millésime is born from the struggle with nature. For instance, Rare Millésime 1976 was created after an exceptional drought, Rare Millésime 1985 following a terrible black frost.

As the guardian of the Rare Champagne style, Régis Camus the most awarded Cellar Master of the century*, selects the vineyards according to their expression rather than their rank in the scale of Premiers and Grand Crus. This uncommon blending approach contributes to the complex, distinguished, and yet pure style of Rare Champagne.

In honour of the occasion, Pierre-Karl Fabergé, jeweller to the Czar Alexander III, designed a spectacular enamelled bottle. Unfortunately, it was impossible to reproduce this decor with the techniques of the time. A label with a faithful reproduction of the design was therefore placed on the bottles of this exclusive edition.

In the 18th century, Florens-Louis Heidsieck presented his very first prestige Cuvée, ‘worthy of a Queen’, to Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France, in a characteristically aristocratic bottle: the Pinte Majeure. In those days, glass blowers made by hand the most precious bottles of Champagne, intended for the aristocracy. Thus, the asymmetrical shoulders of the bottle emphasize its singular personality. Rare Champagne modernized the original shape and added a golden lacy crown that asserts the radiance of the wine. Black and gold, it truly contains a charismatic gem. Black symbolizes the dominant Pinot Noir grapes while gold represents the luminous shine of Chardonnay. Thanks to its long elegant neck, a unique whisper rises while serving. Today, the soft curves of the design pay tribute to Marie-Antoinette, the first modern icon, famous for her ability to set new standards.

 

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Wine Information

This wine is a blend of 17 crus which matured for at least seven years in the House’s cellars. The 2006 vintage described in one word: sunny. Following a cold winter with abundant snowfall succeeded by spring thunderstorms, the summer brought suffocating heat. In August, the temperatures cooled and heavy rains threatened the grapes’ maturity. In September, the heat thankfully came back to encourage the harvest.

From the release of 2006 the champagne is being re-branded from Piper-Heidsieck Rare to just Rare for both Rose and Blanc. 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. Rare 2006 is only the ninth vintage of Rare ever created, since 1976, joining 1976, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008)

As the guardian of the Rare Champagne style, Régis Camus selects the vineyards according to their expression rather than their rank in the scale of Premiers and Grand Crus. This blending approach contributes to the complex, distinguished, and yet pure style of Rare Champagne. He thinks outside the box, choosing Chardonnay grapes from the Montagne de Reims, more traditionally recognised for Pinot Noir, giving the wine freshness and precise minerality. He prefers the Pinot Noir grapes from the Montagne de Reims as well (for instance Verzy or Aÿ) for their sheer intensity and powerful silky texture.

 

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Vintage 2006

The 2006 vintage was a year of mixed weather. It began with a rainy spell and late spring, but with little or no frost in the vineyards. Early summer was positive, with the months of June and July creating perfect conditions for flowering. Although there were some storms in late-July, the overall health of the vines was great since the weather remained hot through to the harvest with spells of rain in August promoting even healthier grapes.

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Tasting note

color

Medium, Gold and Clear

ending

Long, Round, Flavorful and Bitter

flavors

Apricot, Coffee, Toasty, Mineral, White fruits and Bread

nose

Intense, Complex, Seductive and Generous

recommend

No

taste

Average in Acidity, Balanced, Well-Integrated, Good texture, Developing, Medium-bodied, Bitter, Round, Harmonious, Ripe and Dry

Verdict

Sophisticated and Fine

Written Notes

Good looking normal size bottle and in an perfect condition. Colour is gold, yellow, and looking clear and deep. On the nose it is mature and opulent. The taste is fruity, and dry, and average in acidity, medium-bodied, with concentrated structure, mature and the palate is bitter. On the palate it is layered and has dried-fruit, bread, apricot, citrus and creamy flavours. The finish is long and a bit too bitter .. This wine is nice but not special. I paid around 100-200€ a bottle. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 1-5 years. Too expensive for quality. I do not recommend it. 

  • 91p

A wonderful and classic Champagne with bright golden colour, complex aroma reminiscent of fresh Brioche, fine toasting, Nougat and candied orange, nutmeg, hints of malted barley and cold smoke. On the palate rich yet fresh with creamy texture, very fine and persistent mousseux, quoting the flavour of the nose, displaying and excellent length. A great tasting experience. 

  • 98p

The flagship release is the 2006 Champagne Rare, a 70/30 split of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that’s a cellar selection from 8 different Grand Cru vineyards. Tight, backward, and straight-up structured, it offers brilliant notes of stone fruits, toasted brioche, white flowers, and obvious minerality. Needing plenty of air to show at its best, this beauty has a wonderful mid-palate, a racy mousse, and the balance and class to cruise for over two decades in cool cellars.
Rating 97+

  • 97p

Intensely toasty and filled with aromatic tea leaves and spices along with toasty almonds with a fairly long finish. Disgorged 11 months ago at the end of 2018 and just released in 2019. Blend is 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. 10 gm/litre residual sugar.

Tasted in August 2019 in Helsinki, Finland. One of the 20 champagnes tasted. Very  complete, exquisite elegance and complexity, long and sophisticated. Among the best ones in the tasting.

  • 97p

Moderately light, green-yellow colour. Very pronounced toasty and buttery nose with Asian spices and ginger. Dry and crisp on the palate with great intensity and concentration. Very ripe tropical fruit and roasted coffee beans. Round and rich champagne with long toasty and buttery finish. JL 92p (10/2019)

  • 92p
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Information

Origin

Reims, Champagne

Grapes

30% Pinot Noir
70% Chardonnay

Other wines from this producer

Brut Florens Louis

Brut Rosé

Cuvée Brut

Cuvée Florens-Louis

Cuvée Sublime

Essentiel Blanc de Blancs Brut

Essentiel Blanc de Blancs extra brut

Essentiel Cuvée Brut

Essentiel Cuvée Réservée Brut

Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top Brut

Hors-Série

Piper-Heidsieck Brut Sauvage

Rare Rose

Rosé Sauvage

Vintage

Inside Information

This Champagne is crystal-clear in colour, with bright yellow hues. On the nose, there are aromas of apricot pastries, orange zest and mango, followed by more pronounced notes of vanilla, toast and Oriental spices. The complex bouquet of spices leads to a delicate, long finish. Opulent, rich and intense, Rare 2006 is a testament to this sunny vintage resulting in a Champagne with great concentration.

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