Rare Champagne, Millésime
Vintage: 2013
Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | PH201C13 | 3 x 75 | Natural Cork | Available |
2013 | PH201G13 | 3 x 75 | Natural Cork | Available |
Producer
In over 40 years, Rare Champagne has only declared a vintage 14 times: 1976, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, and 2014. Originally crafted under the Piper-Heidsieck label, Rare Champagne's remarkable singularity and unique style led to it becoming its own House in 2019.
Rare Champagne was conceived as an homage to the royal court at Versailles, where founder Florens-Louis Heidsieck presented his first ‘prestige cuvée’ to Marie Antoinette in 1785, declaring that he wanted to make a ‘cuvée worthy of a queen’. These glamorous beginnings are further referenced in Rare Champagne’s unique bottle shape and distinctive gold casing, which nods to the opulent, bejewelled bottle that Russian jeweller Pierre-Karl Fabergé designed for Piper-Heidsieck in the 1800s.
Rare Champagne was also born from a struggle with nature. The 1976 vintage followed a period of exceptional drought, while a terrible frost preceded the 1985 vintage. Yet in both instances, they produced champagne worthy of the name Rare. The vineyards used to create Rare Champagne are selected based on their unique characteristics rather than the rank of Premier and Grand Cru. These exceptional sites blend to create wines that are complex and distinguished, offering a pure expression of their vintages.
Champagne legend Régis Camus was the winemaker at Rare Champagne for nearly three decades before retiring in March 2022. His meticulous attention to detail saw him named ‘Sparkling Winemaker of the Year’ by the IWC eight times, and in 2019, the CSWWC recognised his legacy with a Life Achievement award. Emilien Boutillat, one of the youngest Chef de Caves in Champagne’s history and twice winner of the IWC’s ‘Sparkling Winemaker of the Year’ award (in 2021 and 2023), is now responsible for safeguarding Rare Champagne’s house style while leading the house into the future. In 2022, Rare Champagne was one of the first Champagne Houses, alongside Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck, to achieve B-Corp Certification, illustrating an ongoing commitment to improving both their social and environmental impact on the planet.
From its first vintage in 1976, Rare Champagne has been synonymous with quality, and every year, demand far outweighs supply. 2013 is the current release of Rare Millésime. It comprises a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, sourced predominantly from the Montagne de Reims, with the Pinot Noir hailing from a total of 11 ‘crus’. After secondary fermentation, the 2013 Millésime was aged for nine years on its lees, pre-disgorgement and released with a dosage of nine grams per litre. The result is a bright, intensely gold expression defined by delicate aromas of white flowers, kiwi and nuances of black tea. On the palate, vibrant citrus notes give way to meringue and blood orange with Rare Champagne’s signature tropical minerality. This is the highest accolade given by these awards.
2014 marks only the fourth declared vintage of Rare Champagne’s Rosé Millésime. It blends 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir sourced from nine ‘crus’, of which two are classified Premier Cru (Villers-Marmery and Vertus), and five are classified Grand Cru (Avize, Oger, Aÿ, Ambonnay and Verzy). After secondary fermentation, the 2014 Rosé Millésime was aged for eight years on its lees, pre-disgorgement and released with a dosage of nine grams per litre. A deep coppery colour and delicate mousse define the final expression. The palate is lively, with fragrant notes of rose, pomegranate and morello cherry, excellent structure and great length. It is a remarkable rosé champagne that continues Rare Champagne’s award-winning reputation.
Vineyards
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, Bouzy, or Aÿ) for their sheer intensity and powerful silky texture.
Vintage
The winter and spring months saw cold temperatures punctuated by intense downpours before a mixture of sun, drought and thunderstorms throughout summer. The autumn months were chilly and exacerbated by strong winds in September, this resulted in the harvest beginning late in late October.
Vinification
The first fermentation took place in stainless-steel tanks. Once completed, the wine was racked and underwent full malolactic fermentation. Rare Millésime 2013 marries 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir grapes in a blend of 11 Crus, of which seven are classified as Grand Crus and three are classified as Premier Cru. The wine was kept on its lees for eight years before disgorgement, when a dosage of 9g/l was added.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
Intensely bright and light gold in colour, the Rare Millésime 2013 opens with aromas of white flowers, kiwi and nuances of black tea. The vibrant citrus flavours give way to notes of meringue and blood orange with Rare Champagne’s signature tropical minerality. Smoky aromatics are punctuated by fresh acidity, contributing to a complex and elegant Champagne.
Alcohol (ABV)
12%
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rare Champagne | Millésime Illuminated Night | PH203 | SpW | ||
Millésime, The Queen Edition | PH210 | SpW |