Piper-Heidsieck Vintage 2014

A bright, silky and vinous Champagne with aromas of dried apricots, walnuts, seashells, preserved lemons, raspberry tart and frangipani. Very fine bubbles here, with succulent citrus and berry fruit. Why wait? Drink now.

The 2014 vintage was affected by drosophila flies during the harvest, causing damage (sour rot) to the Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. Nonetheless, it is a classic vintage, yet cool and wet. This does not seem to have affected Piper, which has produced a ‘very fresh, fruity, and delicious vintage Champagne’, according to Emilien Boutillat, Piper-Heidsieck’s chef de cave. The grapes come mainly from premiers crus villages and the final blend is 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay sourced from Verzy, Ambonnay, Tauxières, Montgueux, Avize and Barbonne. Malolactic fermentation was completed (Boutillat was not chef de cave at the time) and the dosage is 7g/L. Disgorgement took place in December 2020. The Piper-Heidsieck 2014 shows an enticing nose, oscillating between pear and peach aromas, that becomes more floral in character with airing, refreshed by minty notes. Spices and flinty notes appear with time in the glass, intertwined by pastry and elegant oxidative notes. The mouthfeel has a juicy yet tense structure, with fresh notes of mint and citrussy acidity that deliver freshness and lift on the flinty texture. The ideal partner for fruits de mer. Keep it in the cellar for two to three years.

Much as I wrote last year, the 2014 Brut Vintage opens in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, freshly baked bread, lemon oil and light reduction. Medium to full-bodied, deep and tightly wound, with racy acids and chalky grip, it continues to display a pinpoint mousse and concludes with a long, dry finish. As it unwinds with time in the cellar, it's revealing more potential.