Piper-Heidsieck launches prestige cuveé pink Champagne

Piper-Heidsieck launched its first ever prestige cuveé pink Champagne – Rare Rosé Millésime 2007 – in the UK on Saturday.

Piper-Heidsieck’s Rare Rosé 2007 has been more than two decades in the making

Unveiled for the first time on 1 October in London’s famous Harrods department store, the Rare Rosé 2007 comes with a selling price of £325, 160% more than its white equivalent, Rare 2002, which retails for £125 in the UK.

Explaining the price difference, Benoît Collard, who is global executive director at Piper-Heidsieck, told the drinks business that the new pink prestige cuvée was being sold at a significant premium because it was more expensive to make than the Rare 2002, and it was in even shorter supply.

“The Rare Rosé is approximately 2.5 times the price of Rare, but the rosé has a very limited production: we are only releasing 1,500 bottles this year and we have had to reduce it to a maximum of nine countries – the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the UK,” he said.

Continuing, he noted, “The volumes of Rare Rosé are more than 2.5 times smaller than Rare 2002, and the price of Rare Rosé is also based on the cost of the wine itself, which is much higher, and the special packaging – it comes in a special numbered box made of lacquered black wood.”

However, it’s common for pink prestige cuvées to be much pricier than their white equivalents – for example, Dom Pérignon and Cristal rosés are more than double the price of their blanc counterparts.

Furthermore, highlighting just how particular this new Piper Champagne is, Collard said that the Rare Rosé 2007 had been more than two decades in the making.

“Régis Camus confessed to me that the day he became chef de cave of Piper-Heidsieck, which was 22 years ago, he wanted to make a Rare Rosé.

Rare Rosé comes in a special numbered box made of lacquered black wood

“He knew exactly what he was looking for, which was in the philosophy of Rare – out-of-the-ordinary vintages from unique weather conditions producing wines with elegance, intensity and exoticism,” he said, before adding, “But he did not predict it would take him until the 2007 vintage to find this.”

According to Collard, Régis Camus had been tasting the base wines from the 2007 harvest when he came across a red wine from Les Riceys in the Côte des Bar, and realised that this was exactly what he had been looking for to make a Rare Rosé.

“It is all about this special wine, which had the intensity, the colour and the elegance Régis wanted,” said Collard.

But why is the pink Champagne much younger than the white Rare, which is currently from the 2002 harvest?

“Régis said last year that the 2007 is now nine years old and it is ready, and when he has a conviction, he goes for it,” explained Collard, admitting that the white Rare is twice as old – currently Piper-Heidsieck are selling the 2002 in the stardard 75cl bottle, and a Rare from the 1998 vintage in magnum.

And what about the taste of the new Champagne?

Collard stresses the exotic Asian nature of the Rare Rosé. “There is an Indian influence in the wine, it has this spice, and Régis said that as soon as he created the Rare Rosé he was reminded of India at its best, both the colours and flavours.”

According to the notes on the new Champagne from the house, the Rare Rosé has aromas of lychee, berries and smoked tea, and flavours of exotic herbs, pomegranate, vanilla, passion fruit and a dash of paprika.

The Champage is made from 56% Chardonnay, mainly from the Montaigne de Reims area, and 44% Pinot Noir.

The Rare Rosé Millésime 2007 is available exclusively from Harrods and Hedonism at a RRP of £325.00. Only 150 bottles are available in the UK.