Champagne – EPI Group

In 2011 Christopher Descours, head of a group founded on J M Weston shoes, moved into wine by acquiring Charles Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck. (They had been under the same ownership since 1988.) Charles Heidsieck was already making champagnes that were widely admired by the cognoscenti. Piper’s reputation was less exalted but Descours has been investing heavily in both houses (see below), and last year hived off Piper’s prestige cuvée Rare as a separate...