2012 Champagne Rare, Millésime, Brut

Complex notes of buttered toast, orange rind, licorice, fig and brioche on the nose, followed by honey and salted caramel on the palate. It’s layered, powerful and rich, yet so fresh and lively, with very fine bubbles that are well integrated. Long and intense. 70% chardonnay and 30% pinot noir. At least 10 years on the lees. 8g/L dosage. Drink or hold.

Golden yellow-hued, the 2012 Champagne Millésime has notes of pineapple, brûléed citrus, honeyed ginger, and lemon curd. Round and full, it offers a pillowy mousse with a long finish. It has more ripeness than the 2013 but has fantastic underlying tension and acidity. It’s deceiving, as it is quite approachable now but also has the bones to age over the coming decades.

A Champagne of great intensity and concentration, pure citrus oil, candied lemon and toasty exotic fruit. It's exceptionally soft and satin-like, creamy and comforting, then a stony, saline intensity draws out the finish. For the first time in the history of Rare Champagne, the house has released a vintage that is older than its previous release. This 2012 comes after the 2013 was released in 2023. Cellar master Émilien Boutillat says this is because when tasting the 2012, he and the team found a connection between this and the iconic 2002, so it desereved a little bit of extra time in the cellars before release.

The concentration, ripeness and paradoxical brightness of Rare 2012 leaps out, in contrast to the cooler, sharper 2013 and 2008 releases. There's no excess weight here, though, as there was in 2006. The voluptuous, fragranced Chardonnay of the Montagne de Reims is not shy with its fleshy orange citrus and tropical tones. It's held in beautiful tension by zesty acidity, gentle Pinot Noir firmness and the maturing notes of charry citrus, honey on toast and even vanilla, all lifted by emerging white pepper and spice details. What strikes most is the gliding, satin-smooth mousse and effortless length, all of which promises a great deal for those willing to wait.

A graceful Champagne that waltzes across the palate, with a fine, plush mousse carrying a lovely range of ripe black cherry, pureed raspberry, candied ginger, Mandarin orange peel, grilled nut and pastry flavors enlivened by a vibrant spine of lemony acidity. To a certain extent, the precision and elegance belies the focus and breadth on display, so sip this slowly and enjoy as it opens in the glass and expands on the palate, echoing on the finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.