Of the three Champagne houses named Heidsieck - all originating from families once related - Charles is the smallest and arguably, the best. Established in 1851 by the nephew of Piper-Heidsieck's owner, Charles Heidsieck himself was the original 'Champagne Charlie'. In 2011 both Charles Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck were bought by EPI Group headed by Christopher Descours, he has provided significant finance for both Houses allowing them to grow their vineyard holdings, grape purchasing and production. Today, production occurs alongside sister company Piper-Heidsieck in an ultra-modern functional wine-making facility on the southern outskirts of Reims. The Charles Heidsieck Cellars are a Unesco World Heritage site and comprise more than eight kilometres of chalk tunnels interlinking forty seven subterranean cathedrals called Crayères, reaching 30 metres high and believed to have been dug out in the 3rd century.

After many years ageing in the unique and ancient Crayères acquired by its founder Charles Heidsieck, Brut Millésime reveals itself as a champagne poised between elegance and complexity, with a smooth texture and great length on the palate. Charles Heidsieck Brut Millésimé 2013 is a blend of ten Grands Crus and Premiers Crus meticulously selected by the House, expressing magnificent minerality, intensity and acidity. This exceptional cuvée was aged for ten years in Gallo-Roman Crayères. True to the Charles Heidsieck style, Millésimé 2013 already displays all the elegance and power of an outstanding vintage, qualities which will only be enhanced with time. This was the second vintage at Charles made by the late Thierry Roset, a very talented winemaker who had spent 25 years at Charles and promoted to chef de cave shortly after the purchase of the company by Christopher Descours. I believe what we are seeing with this 2013 is the impact of the new ownership and investment and the expert winemaking of Thierry; because the 2013 is the first vintage where we have precision, lightness and great purity. I look forward to seeing the rest of the vintages from this decade.

Weather: 2013 was characterised by a particularly late growing cycle. The never-ending winter was followed by a very cool, late spring. we had to wait until the start of July for flowering to begin – something we hadn’t seen in Champagne for quite some time! Fortunately, summer was glorious with plenty of sunshine, record temperatures and very low rainfall, ideal for the ripening of the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. the temperatures were cool for the October harvest and the resulting wines are elegant and fresh - the signs of a "classic" vintage.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru | Chardonnay: Les Mesnil-sur-Oger 15%, Oger, Vertus, Chouilly, Ludes, Cuis | Pinot Noir: Ay 14%, Ambonnay, Tauxieres, Avenay & Verzy
Grape Varieties: 57% Pinot Noir, 43% Chardonnay
Lees Ageing: 9 years
Disgorged: January 2023
Dosage: 9 g/l
Cork: Mytik Diam Technological
Drink: Now to mid 2030's

Tasting Note: The bouquet of the 2013 Brut Millésimé is compellingly fresh and minty, complicated by notes of white fruit-notably pear and apple-citrus and gentle spices, as well as a light touch of smoke. With aeration, elegant pastry notes come to the fore. On the palate, this is a structured, tension-filled but airborne Champagne with racy acidity, fleshy and charming texture and a long, penetrating finish. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing