2008 Champagne: Invest In Piper-Heidsieck Rare - Only Released 11 Times In 45 Years.

The Heidsieck Family And Celebrities

The first Heidsieck Champagne House was established way back in 1785, and later the family firm was split into three parts and is now called Heidsick Monopole, Chales Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck.   

From the very beginning, they had good connections with the famous. The founder of the Heidsieck Champagne House Florens-Louis Heidsieck went to Marie Antoinette (Queen of France) to get her to be the first ambassador for Heidsieck Champagne.     

Over the years, Piper-Heidsieck has been notoriously good at marketing itself through movie stars and celebrities. It was the first Champagne on film in 1933 with Laurel and Hardy in The Sons of the Desert. Furthermore, the most celebrated actress and icon of the time Marilyn Monroe was known to always wake up with a glass of Piper-Heidsieck by her side.    

In 2011, EPI group took control of the two Champagne houses, as well as several other activities. EPI has interests in Biondi Santi in Brunello di Montalcino, as well as Sogrape in Portugal, in addition to several wineries in France.   

Piper-Heidsieck Rare In Company With Krug And Salon Regarding Grapes

Piper-Heidsieck Rare is a unique Champagne, where a large proportion of the grapes come from the Montagne de Reims, which, according to cellar master Remes Camus, helps to create an extraordinary Champagne with different intensity and balance.    

The grapes for Piper-Heidsieck's prestige cuvée Rare are selected from some of the best parcels Piper-Heidsieck has access to. The backbone of the 2008 vintage comes, as usual, from the Montagne de Reims, where the grapes in 2008 were extra intense and with very great minerality. This is balanced in part by Chardonnay from grand cru villages in the Cote de Blancs, as well as Pinot Noir from Ambonnay.     

The exact same villages that also supply grapes for some of the world's most sought-after Champagnes, namely Krug and Salon.   

A Budding In Rare Supply

Since 2018, Piper-Heidsieck Rare has been marketed as its own brand - much like Moët et Chandon has separated Dom Pérignon from their official line of wines. This to give full focus to all aspects, to raise the level of the all-important prestige cuvée. At a time when there is more and more focus on the best Champagnes on the market, producers are working hard to constantly deliver Champagne at an even higher level.   

1976 was the first vintage for Piper-Heidsieck Rare, born because of a fantastic growing season. Since then, only 11 vintages of Rare have been produced. 1976, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006 and now 2008 - as well as in rosé in 2007 & 2008. By comparison, Rare has an even longer release interval than the iconic Salon, which is otherwise notoriously "famous" for rare releases, and only when the quality is at its absolute best. 

We Have Said It Before: The 2008 Vintage In Champagne Was Monumental

Fortunately, it is not the first time that you come across a 2008 Champagne in the RareWine Invest context. For a long time, our sights have been set on this already almost iconic vintage, because it is more than praised in the Champagne world. The release of Piper-Heidsieck Rare is still new, and this gives investors the opportunity to be involved from the start.   

Investors who have previously invested in 2008 Champagnes from the big houses have had a formidable start to the growth journey, with price rises of as much as 42 % in just a few years. This is even though the biggest increases are expected in the long term, but 2008 is just something special and demand is accordingly. 

Another Champagne Has Lived Up To Vintage Expectations

The 2008 Piper-Heidsieck Rare was released in June 2021 because it is only now coming into balance. Therefore, not all wine critics have rated it yet. However, Champagne guru Richard Juhlin has awarded it a whopping 95 points, and Wine Advocate gives 93+ points which underlines that here we are dealing with a Champagne that has lived up to the expectations of the magical 2008 vintage.   

Large Champagne Consumption Eats Away At Volumes

The world loves Champagne, so there will always be an extremely high consumption of the bubbly drops. Therefore, it will not be long before the available quantities are significantly reduced. Especially for a Champagne with an exclusive brand, high scores and monumental vintage. 

That is why many prefer to invest while the quantities are still available, and the price is still affordable. Especially with a Champagne like Piper-Heidsieck Rare, where only 11 vintages have been released in 45 years.   

Prices Have Already Increased

Although 2008 Piper-Heidsieck Rare has only been on the market since June 2021, according to Wine-searcher, the average offering price* has risen almost 7 % across all offerings on the platform. The price increase has therefore occurred in just 4 months, which is initial indication of demand and, more importantly, where prices may be heading.   

*excluding duty, VAT and tax, in whole boxes and perfect condition 

RareWine Invest's Opinion

At RareWine Invest we have a standing recommendation of the best Champagnes from 2008. Not least Piper-Heidsieck Rare, which is already showing promising signs. And for that simple reason we now offer Piper-Heidsieck Rare for investment.     

This is a vintage Champagne from a renowned Champagne house, which is also associated with the world famous Marylin Monroe and is produced from the same grapes from which Krug and Salon also obtain their soaring quality.    

Piper-Heidsieck is a strong brand with a 2008 vintage scoring a whopping 95 points from Champagne guru Richard Juhlin. The quality cannot be disputed. Add to this the fact that only 11 vintages have been released since 1976, making it rare and undoubtedly more sought after.   

In addition, we have already seen remarkable price increases in the short term, on the other 2008 Champagnes that we have had the opportunity to offer for investment over the past 3 years. This is evidence that the whole world is fighting over the coveted 2008 volumes, which are already hugely reduced, and hugely sought after. Piper-Heidsieck Rare is no exception, but here you can be in from the start.