Piper-Heidsieck launches Essentiel Champagne in the UK

Glasses at the ready – next month, the House of Piper-Heidsieck will be introducing a brand new Champagne to United Kingdom. Crisp and bold, the Piper-Heidsieck Essentiel cuvée comes with a distinctive flavour of aromatic white fruit, touching on notes of apple, almond and citrus with a strong presence of the pinot noir grape. Made with an additional 12-18 months of aging – in comparison to Piper’s signature Brut NV, from which the Essentiel owes its roots – the new Extra-Brut cuvee is the perfect match for seafood.

To celebrate the arrival of Essentiel, SphereLife was recently invited to an exclusive Champagne tasting event at the Sanctum Hotel, led by Piper-Heidsieck’s Chef de Caves himself, Régis Camus.

“Piper-Heidsieck wines have a lot of structure and character, brought on by fresh fruits and minerality,” he commented over a glass of the house’s crisp 2008 vintage. “People often make the mistake of drinking Champagne as soon as the cork is popped… it takes time to taste properly. Look at the colour, have a nose, and discover all the flavour. Champagne spends a lot of time in the cellar, so deserves respect when drinking.”

Régis’ favourite place to drink Champagne? “On planes! J’adore voyager en avion. 25 years ago Piper and British Airways actually tested the effects of drinking Champagne in the air… people found it tasted more mature under the pressure.”