Piper to launch ‘Essentiel’ in UK

Champagne Piper-Heidsieck is to launch its ‘Essentiel’ cuvée in the UK this year, offering it exclusively to the on- and “high-end” off-trade.

The wine is an extra-aged and lower dosage Champagne that is kept on its lees for an additional 12-18 months compared to the brut and has a dosage of 5 grams per litre to the brut’s 9-10g/l.

The house says this makes the Champagne “ideal” for gastronomy and it will principally be offered to the on-trade with only “select” retailers being able to sell it.

The whole of Piper-Heidsieck’s range has recently been given refreshed packaging, including more detailed back labels which include disgorgement dates, the base vintage and the amount of reserve wine.

Piper-Heidsieck’s chef de caves, Régis Camus, said: “I am proud of this extra-brut cuvée which symbolises the essence of our Champagnes.

“This extra-aged and lower dosage wine is the pure expression of Piper-Heidsieck style: a structured, crisp and ardent wine. Wanting to highlight the uniqueness of Essentiel, we have decided to display additional information on the label such as the disgorgement and cellaring dates to communicate that extra level of detail to an engaged Champagne audience.”