Another excellent bottle of 2002 Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Rare. Most of the bottles I’ve opened have been later disgorgements. This bottle had a red neck ring, signifying an earlier disgorgement. While I haven’t had them side by side, my feeling is the earlier disgorgements are showing a more oxidative nutty profile, while the later show more dense brioche. Citrus and honey on the attack, giving way to tropical notes, pear, coffee and hazelnut. Really dense and creamy. Historically, 10 gm/l dosage is not high, but compared to contemporary extra-brut and non-dosed wines, the sweetness is quite prominent here. This shows better when kept in an ice bucket.
Return of the Shrimp Heads to La Belle Vie, now PS Steak in Minneapolis. 6 of us back in our beloved lounge w/ the old LBV lounge menu. CV,KB,LI,BB,JV & MA. Kevin's btl. I love this cuvee, period. Enjoyed that this has reached optimum balance between youthful zip & mature tranquility. Plenty of depth.
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Shrimp Heads Ride Again (PS Steak (Pseudo La Belle Vie, Mpls, MN)): Light gold color. Drank a glass over an hour, next to the '02 CNFB. This is a wow nose, so rich and toasty, full of brioche, sea breeze, toffee, butter pain grille, pear and smoke on the nose. The palate is full bodied and energetic, this still has tons of verve; pear, toast, hazelnut, honeycomb, smoke, green apple, apple peel, dense and powerful yet still lithe and blissful. In super shape, but just one left -no hurry.
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*Rich, oily bruised apples swimming in yeast. Lovely ripe flavors that make you say, that's all I want to drink. There is some sweetness for sure, but that's just a very observant comment that may be taken negatively by the overly fickle. Theres nothing out of place here if you want to experience the magic of mature, richly textured champagne that makes a statement from the first whiff to the last drop. Thanks to my friend. Drink!
Tasted at Le Grand Tasting Paris. From a bottle with mytik closure. It's getting into a phase of candied, round, yet not at all tired. Wonderful. Not a wine to make you think much, but a joyful and pleasing wine.
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(Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare) Light lemon yellow color with abundant, steady, tiny bubbles; very autolytic, hazelnut, almond cream, lemon cream nose; rich, delicious, delicate, autolytic, hazelnut, light butter cream, almond cream, mineral palate with good balancing acidity; long finish (10 years on lees)
(Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare) Light lemon yellow color with abundant, steady, tiny bubbles; appealing, savory, autolytic, brioche, almond brioche nose; tasty, autolytic, tart lemon, iodine, saline, almond palate; needs 4-5 years; long finish (70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir; 12% alcohol; 8th edition of this wine)
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4/13/2024 - WST Likes this wine:
Another excellent bottle of 2002 Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Rare. Most of the bottles I’ve opened have been later disgorgements. This bottle had a red neck ring, signifying an earlier disgorgement. While I haven’t had them side by side, my feeling is the earlier disgorgements are showing a more oxidative nutty profile, while the later show more dense brioche.
Citrus and honey on the attack, giving way to tropical notes, pear, coffee and hazelnut. Really dense and creamy. Historically, 10 gm/l dosage is not high, but compared to contemporary extra-brut and non-dosed wines, the sweetness is quite prominent here. This shows better when kept in an ice bucket.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/29/2024 - chablis28 wrote: 95 Points
Return of the Shrimp Heads to La Belle Vie, now PS Steak in Minneapolis. 6 of us back in our beloved lounge w/ the old LBV lounge menu. CV,KB,LI,BB,JV & MA. Kevin's btl. I love this cuvee, period. Enjoyed that this has reached optimum balance between youthful zip & mature tranquility. Plenty of depth.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2024 - rocknroller wrote: 96 Points
Shrimp Heads Ride Again (PS Steak (Pseudo La Belle Vie, Mpls, MN)): Light gold color. Drank a glass over an hour, next to the '02 CNFB. This is a wow nose, so rich and toasty, full of brioche, sea breeze, toffee, butter pain grille, pear and smoke on the nose. The palate is full bodied and energetic, this still has tons of verve; pear, toast, hazelnut, honeycomb, smoke, green apple, apple peel, dense and powerful yet still lithe and blissful. In super shape, but just one left -no hurry.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2024 - Purple Tooth wrote: 96 Points
*Rich, oily bruised apples swimming in yeast. Lovely ripe flavors that make you say, that's all I want to drink. There is some sweetness for sure, but that's just a very observant comment that may be taken negatively by the overly fickle. Theres nothing out of place here if you want to experience the magic of mature, richly textured champagne that makes a statement from the first whiff to the last drop. Thanks to my friend. Drink!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
3/22/2024 - narraboth Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted at Le Grand Tasting Paris.
From a bottle with mytik closure.
It's getting into a phase of candied, round, yet not at all tired. Wonderful. Not a wine to make you think much, but a joyful and pleasing wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment