Around 1,500 bottles of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne were served during the Oscars 2018 awards ceremony and Governors Ball, including one cuvée described by critics as a legend-in-the-making.
Nominees who didn’t win an Oscar at the 90th Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday night (4 March) might at least have been lucky enough to console themselves with a glass of one of the best Piper-Heidsieck Champagnes produced this century so far.
A wine list for the evening showed that organisers planned to serve 1,500 bottles of Piper-Heidsieck, including the ‘Rare’ 2002 vintage cuvée.
Champagne expert Richard Juhlin has tasted the Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002 for Decanter in 2014 and reported that it ‘looks like becoming another legendary Piper in the same style and league as 1988, ’76 and ’55’.
Most of the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne served at the Oscars ceremony and Governors Ball was Cuvée Brut, poured from limited edition magnums.
The EPI-owned Champagne house also made available its Rare 1998 in magnum.
In a repeat of the 2017 awards ceremony, Piper-Heidsieck was joined on the menu by Francis Ford Coppola wines.
Around 2,400 bottles of Coppola wines were served, including ‘Director’s Cut Oscars 90th Edition’, Director’s Cut Sauvignon Blanc, Director’s Cut Chardonnay 2015, Francis Coppola Reserve Pinot Noir 2016 and Archimedes 2014.
Archimedes is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant ‘Bordeaux blend’ that also includes Cabernet Franc from Knights Valley. It is named after the Godfather director’s uncle Archimedes.
At the Governors Ball – the official post-ceremony party – wines were served alongside a range of culinary treats, including 100 pounds of scallops, 400 pizzas, 250 Main lobsters, 6,500 wood-fired flatbreads, 300 pounds of Miyazaki Wagyu beef, 1,000 hibiscus flowers, 7,000 mini chocolate oscars and 15kg of caviar.
