Charles Heidsieck Champagne Blanc de Blancs in gift box

The champagne from France

The Blanc de Blancs may be a relatively recent addition to the Charles Heidsieck portfolio since 2018, the love between Charles and chardonnay goes way back. As early as 1906, the house made monocrus from chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, while the first vintage Blanc de Blancs was a fact in 1949. Heidsieck's famous Blanc de Millénaires is also considered one of the greatest Champagnes.

This non-vintage Blanc de Blancs is a perfect addition to the range. Where flagship Blanc de Millénaires is famous for its impressively aged character, this Champagne is crafted on freshness and youthful fruit, combined with an enticing, silky and creamy texture.

 

To achieve this ultimate balance between fraîcheur and a rich, creamy texture and to give the wine the typical Charles signature, cellar master Cyril Brun works with a ratio of 75% young wine and 25% reserve wine of an average of five years old. 50% of the chardonnay comes from the Côte des Blancs, the remainder comes from Montagne de Reims and Montgueux. After careful blending, the wine ages for at least four years on the yeasts.

The end result is an extraordinarily beautiful Blanc de Blancs: beautifully fresh and sleek, with notes of citrus (peel), green apple, floral notes and a chalky minerality. At the same time, the taste is full and creamy, with notes of brioche, pastry and a bit of nuttiness. The mousse is extremely delicate, the aftertaste is endless. Enjoy this beautiful wine between now and about seven years after the harvest, whether or not in combination with a luxurious and refined (fish) dish.

Drink or keep?

While most non-vintage Champagne is best drunk young, a Champagne of this caliber can also mature in the bottle for several years. Depending on your preference for a young, fresh or more mature style of Champagne, you can drink the Blanc de Blancs immediately or keep it for up to 5-6 years. Because a non-vintage Champgane cannot specify a harvest year, Heidsieck has come up with a particularly clever solution. On the back label of the bottle, the house has listed both the mise en crayères and the date de dégorgement. The former date indicates when the Champagne has entered the cellar to mature on the groin, the latter when the yeasts have been removed from the bottle and the Champagne is finally bottled. This way you not only know how long the Champagne has matured on the domain, but also until when you can still keep it yourself!

Magnificent wine for enjoyment as an aperitif, or to combine with a refined (fish) dish.