Piper-Heidsieck

Piper-Heidsieck was founded in 1785 by Florens-Louis Heidsieck, placing it among the earliest Champagne houses still in operation today. The house built an early reputation for glamour and cultural cachet, becoming the first Champagne brand to appear on film when it featured in the 1933 Laurel and Hardy comedy 'Sons of the Desert.' Its association with Hollywood deepened over the twentieth century, most famously through Marilyn Monroe, who declared it her favorite Champagne. The house served as official supplier to the Cannes Film Festival until 2020 and to the Academy Awards from 2015 to 2020, a partnership renewed for the 2026 and 2027 ceremonies. Piper-Heidsieck has received more than 275 medals across international competitions, earning the informal title of most awarded Champagne house of the century.

• Founded 1785 by Florens-Louis Heidsieck in Reims
• First Champagne house to appear on film, in the 1933 production 'Sons of the Desert'
• Marilyn Monroe publicly named Piper-Heidsieck her favorite Champagne
• Official Oscars Champagne supplier 2015 to 2020, and again for 2026 and 2027

Piper-Heidsieck was sold by Rémy Cointreau to EPI, the Entreprise Patrimoniale d'Investissements controlled by the Descours family, in July 2011. EPI simultaneously owns Charles Heidsieck and the prestige brand Rare Champagne, which was spun off as a fully separate house in October 2018 under the management of retiring cellar master Régis Camus. The current leadership structure underwent significant change between 2025 and 2026: Stéphane Decaux was appointed CEO in March 2025, succeeding Benoît Collard who served from 2015 to 2024, and Nicolas Beckers was named President of EPI Champagne effective March 2026. Cellar master Émilien Boutillat has held his position since 2018, earning back-to-back International Wine Challenge Sparkling Winemaker of the Year titles in 2021 and 2023.

• Acquired by EPI from Rémy Cointreau in July 2011; EPI is controlled by the Descours family
• Rare Champagne spun off as a third independent EPI house in October 2018
• Stéphane Decaux appointed CEO March 2025; Nicolas Beckers named EPI Champagne President effective March 2026
• Émilien Boutillat has been cellar master since 2018, winning IWC Sparkling Winemaker of the Year in 2021 and 2023

Piper-Heidsieck owns 65 hectares of estate vineyard, shared operationally with sister house Charles Heidsieck, spanning all four of Champagne's principal growing areas: the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, and Côte des Bar. Beyond its estate holdings, the house sources fruit from more than 240 partner growers across 110-plus crus, giving it access to a wide palette of terroir expressions for blending. The house operates a dedicated experimental plot called the Piper Lab, where organic farming techniques and disease-resistant grape varieties are trialed. As of 2025, 21 percent of estate vineyard grapes are certified organic, with further expansion of organic practices underway. Production and aging take place at a modern facility on the southern outskirts of Reims, adjacent to the historic Crayères chalk cellars that carry UNESCO World Heritage status.

• 65 hectares of estate vineyard across Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, and Côte des Bar
• Fruit sourced from 240-plus partner growers spanning 110-plus crus throughout Champagne
• 21% of estate vineyard grapes certified organic as of 2025
• Piper Lab experimental plot tests organic farming and resistant grape varieties

The house style at Piper-Heidsieck is defined by vibrancy, freshness, and a structural backbone from Pinot Noir, with citrus and floral character running through the range. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel to preserve aromatics, and malolactic fermentation is blocked, maintaining higher natural acidity. Reserve wines account for a minimum of 25 percent in the non-vintage Cuvée Brut, which blends Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier from more than 100 crus. Dosage levels have trended lower across the range, reflected in the Essentiel Extra Brut and the three Essentiel expressions covering Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and a standard Extra Brut. Limited and experimental releases fall under the Hors-Série collection, while Cuvée Sublime addresses the demi-sec category. The 2018 Vintage Magnum was awarded Grand Master at the 2026 Drinks Business Champagne Masters.

• Stainless steel fermentation with blocked malolactic fermentation to maximize freshness
• Minimum 25% reserve wines used in non-vintage Cuvée Brut, drawn from 100-plus crus
• Lower-dosage direction evident across the Essentiel Extra Brut and Essentiel sub-range
• 2018 Vintage Magnum awarded Grand Master at the 2026 Drinks Business Champagne Masters

Piper-Heidsieck occupies a distinctive position in Champagne as both a genuinely historic house, with an unbroken presence since 1785, and one of the category's most forward-thinking operators on sustainability. Its B Corp certification in 2022, the first ever awarded to a Champagne house, signaled a serious institutional commitment that goes beyond marketing, reinforced by a 34 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions between 2019 and 2023 and a 33 percent cut in electricity use over the same period. The house produces 400,000 cases annually for more than 100 countries, making it a major volume player without abandoning quality credentials, as its Supreme World Champion Trophy at the 2025 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships confirms. For students of Champagne, the house also illustrates how non-vintage blending at scale, reserve wine management, and progressive dosage reduction can coexist within a single brand identity.

• First Champagne house to receive B Corp certification (2022); renewed 2025 with score of 102.6, up from 91.9
• 34% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions from 2019 to 2023; member of International Wineries for Climate Action
• Supreme World Champion Trophy at the 2025 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships
• Distributed in 100-plus countries at approximately 400,000 cases annually, demonstrating scale alongside quality recognition