Rum giant Bacardi is one of about 12 companies to show interest in buying the Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck Champagne brands, sources in the region have told Decanter.com. Other potential bidders are believed to include Champagne’s leading player, LVMH, plus Vranken-Pommery Monopole and BCC-Lanson, as well as the region’s largest co-operatives, Alliance Champagne and Nicolas Feuillatte. Remy Cointreau, which currently owns the brands, put them up for sale late last year, with an asking price believed to be as high as €400m.