FRANCE : CHAMPAGNE : MONTAGNE DE REIMS / COTE DES BLANCSChardonnay, Pinot NoirMED-BODIED, ORANGE BLOSSOM, RIPE WILLIAMS PEAR, TOASTED ALMOND, SALINE MINERALITY, NO OAKRare is Piper-Heidsieck’s top tier, a separate prestige cuvee declared in only 11 vintages across four decades — 2008 earned the nod as one of the most acclaimed Champagne years of the century. The blend draws on eight grand cru crus, pairing Chardonnay from Oger, Avize, and Villers-Marmery with Verzy Pinot Noir, then ages roughly 11 years on the lees before disgorgement in late 2020.The result opens on orange blossom and white flowers before moving into ripe pear, fresh coconut, and toasted almond, with a smoky, saline finish that Wine Spectator called "an initial explosion of power... before quickly settling into an elegant gait," awarding it 97 points.PAIRINGS : Seared scallops with brown butter echoes the saline, iodine-driven finish Aged Comte toasted almond and praline notes mirror the cheese Caviar service classic match for the smoky minerality
Conrad Green 
From mag. Expansive with yellow fruit and oyster shells. A sweetness and salinity. Very expressive
From mag. Expansive with yellow fruit and oyster shells. A sweetness and salinity. Very expressive
9.4Peter van den Besselaar 
Vintage 2008 | lots of finesse
Vintage 2008 | lots of finesse
9.4Conrad Green 
Great presence and purity. Intense with balance and tension. Still young. Great juice.
Great presence and purity. Intense with balance and tension. Still young. Great juice.
9.5Conrad Green 
Delicious right now. Great fresh fruit, sweetness at the edges, a steely core and lovely integrated acidity. Fresh and delicious
Delicious right now. Great fresh fruit, sweetness at the edges, a steely core and lovely integrated acidity. Fresh and delicious
9.3Hum 
Delicious and luscious
Delicious and luscious
9.3Conrad Green 
Lush and bright and delicious. Very open
Lush and bright and delicious. Very open
9.4Conrad Green 
Poised and fresh. Lime and steel. Sweet edges. Refined and settled. Very approachable now but with the stuffing to last. Great
Poised and fresh. Lime and steel. Sweet edges. Refined and settled. Very approachable now but with the stuffing to last. Great
9.5Conrad Green 
Bright sharp lemon, chalk, steel. Dazzling stuff. Delicious. Young
Bright sharp lemon, chalk, steel. Dazzling stuff. Delicious. Young
9.5Conrad Green 
Super bright and fresh. A serious spine of acid, pretty sweetness and great fruit with hints of green apple. Dazzling. Still v young with huge upside
Super bright and fresh. A serious spine of acid, pretty sweetness and great fruit with hints of green apple. Dazzling. Still v young with huge upside
9.5Conrad Green 
Incredible thrust and lift. Bright and sharp. Laser focused minerality. As always, great stuff
Incredible thrust and lift. Bright and sharp. Laser focused minerality. As always, great stuff
9.6Location
WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.