Cuvée Extra-Brut Essentiel

The Cuvée Extra-Brut Essentiel is a numbered cuvée at Piper-Heidsieck. It is made up mostly of Pinot Noir (50 to 55 per cent) and Meunier from the Montagne de Reims (30 to 35 per cent), plus 15 to 20 per cent Chardonnay and 10 to 20 per cent reserve wines. Around a hundred crus go into the blend. Compared with the house's classic Brut, this champagne spends a year longer in the cellar, four years in total, and the dosage is just 6 g/l.

The result feels slender yet still has depth and structure. The fruit comes through clearly, with fresh white fruits in the lead. The style is direct and precise. Serve it at 8 to 10 °C in a white wine glass, ideally with oysters or spiny lobster. The bottle comes in a gift box.