Piper-Heidsieck Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime Demi-Sec Champagne NV 750ml

A dessert wine with sweet vanilla flavors, wrapped around nutty, oily flavors. Fruit is not the object here; it’s more decadent, with unctuous, sweet and lingering vanilla and Bourbon-barrel accents.

A very creditable contribution to what has become an unfashionable genre is Piper-Heidsieck’s NV Demi-Sec Cuvée Sublime, a lovely wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of honeyed peaches, fresh pastry, nectarine and caramelized citrus. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with good depth at the core, racy acids and a fine mousse, concluding with a precise finish that avoids any suggestion of cloying sweetness despite its off-dry style. Expect it to sing with additional bottle age.

Toasted marshmallow and coconut accents impart rich and smoky character to this finely balanced demi-sec, with flavors of pear tart and lemon parfait. Fine and creamy in texture, showing mouthwatering, citrusy acidity throughout. Drink now through 2019.