Champagne Charles Heidsieck: history and great vintages

A man passionate about his champagne, a traveler, with a great personality. Charles Heidsieck is one of the most prestigious ChampagneWe're also proud of our internationally-renowned wines. And, of course, there are the great cellar managers: they have been awarded the title of Best Cellar Managers of the Year twelve times by the Internationale Wine Challenge (IWC).

> Partner domains : See all guides ?

 

The creator, Monsieur Charles Heidsieck

Champagne Heidsieck et Cie was founded in 1785 by Charles Heidsieck's great-uncle. Charles-Camille Heidsieck was born in 1822. At the age of 29, he took over the reins of the company, bringing his own style to the table: elegant, gourmet champagnes. His reputation was built up over time, thanks to his audacity and the renown of his champagnes. The Charles Heidsieck style is a balanced, harmonious sparkling wine. Complex champagnes are the result of the winemakers' expertise and exacting standards.

The estate today

The Descours family took over the estate in 2011, always striving to improve the quality of the vineyards. It's thanks to the talent of the different cellar masters; Daniel Thibault, Régis Camus and Thierry Roset (who passed away in 2014); that the house style has been preserved. From now on, it's the famous Cyril Brun, twice elected "Best Wine Maker" by the International Wine Challenge 2015 & 2019, who takes the helm of this great house. It is he who will give birth to and forge the quality of the champagnes of the coming decades.

Cyril Brun, who has been head winemaker at Veuve Clicquot for 15 years, produces wines from 3 different grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. They each have a very particular profile, and that profile varies greatly depending on where the grapes come from. The magic, then, lies in figuring out how to capture the essence of each plot and ensuring that all the blended parcels work together to recreate the perfect signature Charles Heidsieck style. This process of creating harmony requires both precision and intuition. At Charles Heidsieck, 100 % of the wines are fermented and aged in stainless steel.

The great vintages of Champagne Charles Heidsieck

 

CHARLES HEIDSIECK BRUT RESERVE

A complex champagne, blended with a high percentage of mature reserve wines: a special blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. This reserve is clear and complex on the nose, a round, elegant cuvée with great finesse and a silky texture. Delicate nougat notes and herbal flavors are appreciated. The mentholated finish reveals a remarkably good structure. A beautiful golden champagne, with persistent effervescence. The use of 40 % of reserve wines has made a huge difference in the Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Champagne." First you notice the color, a deeper gold than most other NM champagnes. Next, the aroma, a much toastier, spicier bouquet; but also the weight of the Champagne on your palate, which is much greater than you'd expect from a non-vintage Champagne.

 

CHARLES HEIDSIECK ROSÉ RESERVE

93/100 Robert Parker

A sophisticated blend of the three Champagne grape varieties. This cuvée has a delicate bouquet that leads to a charming, pure, elegant, intense and complex palate, full of finesse and tension. The finish is long and salty, very clear and well dried. Matured for over 3 years in our thousand-year-old chalk pits. It has great ageing potential.

Le domaine vous en parle : This wine is divided between 80 % of Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The remaining 20% are a composition of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay. All the grapes are vinified cru by cru, variety by variety, all in stainless steel tanks. The cellar master selects reserve wines of lesser age than those belonging to the Brut Réserve. The reserve red wines, from the great Pinot Noir terroirs, are more than 5 years older than the last harvest. This gives rise to a rosé Champagne in a fleshy, gourmet style: "Le Charles Heidsieck style" . The secret comes from the 5 to 6% of the great red wines. This gives balanced tannins and red fruit flavors to the rosé.

 

CHARLES HEIDSIECK BLANC DE BLANCS

 

Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay

92/100 Parker | Maturity: 2019 - 2035

By William Kelley in 2019: "The latest version of Heidsieck's non-vintage Blanc de Blancs incorporates 20 % of reserve wines, from younger vintages to emphasize what Cyril Brun has described as the "youthful" side of Chardonnay, in contrast to the mature expression of this varietal offered by the house's Blanc de Millénaires. It arrives in the glass with aromas of citrus, white flowers, green apples and walnut oil. It's an elegantly textured, incisive wine that's lively."

 

CHARLES HEIDSIECK BRUT MILLÉSIMÉ

Charles Hedsieck Brut Millésimé continues to distinguish itself, opening in the glass with a youthful bouquet of pear, yellow apple, citrus, honey, dried white flowers and cookie. On the palate, it's deep and incisive, with racy acidity and style, very fine mousse, excellent concentration and a long, elegantly chalky finish. This is a great Champagne for laying down that can be drunk over several decades.

 

CHARLES HEIDSIECK BRUT ROSÉ MILLÉSIMÉ

Charles Heidsieck's Brut Rosé, generally made from 10% of Pinot Noir red wine, was launched before 2005. The Champagne offers a delicate, intense wild strawberry flavor, with lovely spicy aromas on the nose. Ample, full and round, this is a beautiful Champagne Rosé de garde with super-intense, aromatic Pinot character: cherry and red berry flavors. The finish underlines the great complexity, purity and finesse of this vinous Rosé. An impressive Rosé.

 

CHARLES HEIDSIECK BLANC DES MILLENAIRES

Offering aromas of toasted brioche, honey, yellow apples and candied citrus. This full-bodied, fleshy and textured Blanc des Millénaires, with fruity flavors, is a sparkling wine with charm and expressiveness. The House's Crayères millénaires were born almost 150 years ago. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay. It features 5 of the main crus of the Côte des Blancs. These crus have been selected for their ageing potential and the richness that emerges from their maturation:
- Oger: for its structure and smoothness
- Le Mesnil-sur-Oger: for its balance
- Avize: for its mineral side
- Cramant: for its complexity
- Virtues: for its flavorful finish and freshness.

 

 

► Discover the great vintages of Charles Heidsieck