2012 Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut Millesime Champagne

One of the best 2012s released. This so fresh and transparent, with superb clarity and brightness. Subtle aromas of mangoes, apples, some pie crust and crushed stones that follow through to a medium body with a tight palate and an endless finish. Precise on every level. Haute couture. Sophisticated. What a great Champagne can be. Released in magnum June 2026. Disgorged February 2025. Drink or hold. ~100 JS

A Champagne of great intensity and concentration, pure citrus oil, candied lemon and toasty exotic fruit. It's exceptionally soft and satin-like, creamy and comforting, then a stony, saline intensity draws out the finish. For the first time in the history of Rare Champagne, the house has released a vintage that is older than its previous release. This 2012 comes after the 2013 was released in 2023. Cellar master Émilien Boutillat says this is because when tasting the 2012, he and the team found a connection between this and the iconic 2002, so it deserved a little bit of extra time in the cellars before release. ~96 Decanter

Golden yellow-hued, the 2012 Champagne Millésime has notes of pineapple, brûléed citrus, honeyed ginger, and lemon curd. Round and full, it offers a pillowy mousse with a long finish. It has more ripeness than the 2013 but has fantastic underlying tension and acidity. It’s deceiving, as it is quite approachable now but also has the bones to age over the coming decades. ~96 Jeb Dunnuck

The 2012 Brut Millésime blends 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay mainly from Montagne de Reims and a small portion from Côte des Blancs, giving it a slightly unusual yet eternally sleek Chardonnay bent. It spent a decade on the lees. Its nose is a smoky wonder, combining ripe, almost tropical fruit with a gorgeous toasty sense of grilled almonds. An overtone of candied orange peel flashes up momentarily. The palate brings wonderfully golden plum fruit, ripe yet fresh, juicy and utterly aromatic, verging on apricot and always surrounded by a toasty, warming frisson of grilled nuts, pervaded by a streak of finest freshness. This is immensely youthful, captured with brilliantly pure fruit and lasting expression that rings long in a toasty umami echo. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. ~96 Vinous

A graceful Champagne that waltzes across the palate, with a fine, plush mousse carrying a lovely range of ripe black cherry, pureed raspberry, candied ginger, Mandarin orange peel, grilled nut and pastry flavors enlivened by a vibrant spine of lemony acidity. To a certain extent, the precision and elegance belies the focus and breadth on display, so sip this slowly and enjoy as it opens in the glass and expands on the palate, echoing on the finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2040. ~96 Wine Spectator

One of the greatest hits from Rare Champagne, the 2012 Rare Millésime is produced from fruit harvested between September 10 and 26. Disgorged in November 2023 with a dosage of eight grams per liter, it is a rich and flamboyant wine that harnesses the season’s maturity to its advantage. It unfurls in the glass with a complex bouquet of crisp pear, freshly baked bread and white flowers, mingling with roasted pineapple, caramelized sugar and a deft touch of smoky reduction. On the palate, it is full-bodied, muscular, ample and textural, with a simultaneously generous but elegant expression of fruit underpinned by succulent yet vibrant acidity and concluding with a long, saline finish tinged with toast. Concentrated but harmonious, it is dangerously drinkable now yet promises a long window of pleasure. The blend is the classic 70% Chardonnay (predominantly from Villers-Marmery) and 30% Pinot Noir. 95+ (KK) ~95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

With Chardonnay dominant in the blend, this is a stylish, impressive Champagne. With its white flower aroma and poise between white fruits and maturity, it is ready to drink. ~95 Wine Enthusiast