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Wine Description
The Story
The vintage Piper is a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes which have elegantly mingled to create this deep, complex, fruit-driven champagne, abound with fresh, lively notes of citrus and a clean, zesty finish. The latest vintage offering is lush long and packed with finesse. Be sure to have a bottle or two on hand for the races.
What Piper-Heidsieck has been able to achieve in the past decade or so is nothing short of sensational. Winemaking responsibilities fall in the exceptionally competent hands of Chef de Cave, Régis Camus. Régis, considered a ‘god’ like figure in the region, was crowned Sparkling Winemaker of the year by the International Wine Challenge in 2013 for the eighth time!
Vintage 1990
Originally hailed as the best of the 1988/1989/1990 trilogy, the wines have developed quicker than anticipated with premature oxidation having crept in early on. Thus, I have downgraded my rating from five stars to four stars. There was frost damage in April but the vintage was made by the long, hot and dry summer. Rains in the latter half of August somewhat elevated the rot occurrences. Picking began during the second week of September and the crop was the third largest at the time (11,963 kg/ha) and the wines had excellent alcohol and acidity levels. The ripest vintage since 1959 is showcased by the depth and finesse of the Champagnes. The cuvées still drinking impeccably include the whole range of Dom Pérignon (Rosé, P2, Rosé, Rosé P2), Philipponnat Clos des Goisses and Louis Roederer Cristal..