Piper-Heidsieck Hors-Serie Champagne 1982
A bottle of the quite extraordinary Piper Heidsieck Hors-Serie Champagne 1982.
Piper-Heidsieck Hors-Serie Champagne 1982
Piper-Heidsieck’s Hors-Serie Champagne 1982 was left on lees for a remarkable 39 years. It’s from a Champagne vintage of high renown; it’s a vintage often listed as among the Champagne region’s best. It’s a 60/40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, though interestingly it only received a 4 grams per litre dosage, which is low. The asking price in Australia is $1000. This is only the second release of a Hors-Serie Champagne – we reviewed the 1971 Hors-Serie Champagne on The Winefront when it was released. This 1982 release has been in Australia for most of the past year. Only a very small number of bottles were imported but if you want a bottle, there are still bottles available.
The thing is that this wine, from a great vintage, was left on lees for most of its life, and was kept in the Piper-Heidsieck cellar (of course) throughout that time. What this effectively means is that it’s been given every possible chance to be kept fresh, as the decades have unfolded.
I was fortunate enough to score a bottle. It felt wrong to simply drink and taste it myself, so I’ve been looking for a way to share it. Last Friday I opened this bottle and drank it with dumplings as the accompaniment, and with two of my favourite wine industry colleagues as company. It’s a wine. What is it, forty-two years old? It’s both fresh and honeyed at once, it still has plenty of zip, it’s refreshing, and yet of course it’s rolled with complex flavour. It doesn’t offer a mind-bending experience but with every sip you’re impressed. There are of course a lot of famous wines out of France from the 1982 vintage but this Hors-Serie has taken time in its stride so effortlessly that you’d be hard-pressed to find another 1982 vintage wine in such spritely good condition.
95 points – Campbell Mattinson.
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Frequently asked questions
How long was Piper-Heidsieck Hors-Série 1982 aged on lees?
Thirty-nine years. It was kept in Piper-Heidsieck's own cellars throughout, before disgorging and release – an exceptionally long time on lees, which is central to how fresh the wine remains.
Is the 1982 Hors-Série still good to drink now?
Yes. Reviewed at around 42 years of age, it was fresh, honeyed and still full of zip – you'd be hard-pressed to find another 1982-vintage wine in such spritely condition. Campbell Mattinson scored it 95 points.
How much does it cost in Australia?
The asking price is around AU$1000. Only a very small number of bottles were imported, though some remained available at the time of writing.
What is in the blend?
It's a 60/40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a low dosage of 4 grams per litre.
Was 1982 a good Champagne vintage?
1982 is widely regarded as one of the great Champagne vintages, frequently listed among the region's best.
Is this the only Hors-Série release?
No – it's the second. The first was based on the 1971 vintage, reviewed on The Winefront on release.
