Charles Heidsieck Champagne Blanc de Blancs

The champagne from France

While Blanc de Blancs may be a relatively recent addition to the Charles Heidsieck portfolio since 2018, the relationship between Charles and Chardonnay goes back a long way. As early as 1906, the house produced Chardonnay monocrus from the Côte des Blancs, while the first Blanc de Blancs vintage was released in 1949. Heidsieck's renowned Blanc de Millénaires is also considered one of the greatest Champagnes.

This non-vintage Blanc de Blancs is a perfect addition to the range. While the flagship Blanc de Millénaires is renowned for its impressively mature character, this Champagne is crafted with freshness and youthful fruit, combined with a seductive, silky, and creamy texture.

 

To achieve this ultimate balance of freshness and a rich, creamy texture, and to give the wine the typical Charles signature, cellar master Cyril Brun uses a ratio of 75% young wine and 25% reserve wine, an average of five years old. Fifty percent of the Chardonnay comes from the Côte des Blancs, with the remainder coming from Montagne de Reims and Montgueux. After careful blending, the wine is aged on the lees for at least four more years.

The end result is an exceptionally beautiful Blanc de Blancs: beautifully fresh and clean, with notes of citrus (peel), green apple, floral notes, and a chalky minerality. At the same time, the palate is full and creamy, with hints of brioche, pastry, and a touch of nuttiness. The mousse is exceptionally delicate, and the finish is endless. Enjoy this magnificent wine between now and about seven years after the harvest, perhaps paired with a luxurious and refined (fish) dish.

Drink or store?

While most non-vintage Champagnes are best enjoyed young, a Champagne of this caliber can also perfectly age in the bottle for several more years. Depending on your preference for a young, fresh or more mature Champagne, you can drink Blanc de Blancs immediately or keep it for up to 5-6 years. Because a non-vintage Champagne cannot specify the vintage year, Heidsieck has devised a particularly clever solution. On the back label of the bottle, the house includes both the "mise en crayères" (drying) date and the "dégorgement" (degorging date). The former indicates when the Champagne went into the cellar to mature on its lees, while the latter indicates when the yeasts were removed from the bottle and the Champagne was finally bottled. This way, you not only know how long the Champagne has matured at the estate, but also how long you can still keep it yourself!