Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires

Charles Heidsieck is one of Champagne's smallest Grand Marques and produces some of the region’s finest cuvées. The House was founded in 1851 by Charles-Camille Heidsieck, the original ‘Champagne Charlie’, who invested in the now-UNESCO-listed ‘crayères’ chalk cellars beneath the city of Reims. These cathedral-like cellars were hand-dug by the Romans nearly 2000 years ago and are still used today to age all of Charles Heidsieck’s champagnes.

Charles Heidsieck’s modern fame rests on the unrivalled quality of their wines, which receive countless awards and accolades year after year. This success can be attributed to the talented winemakers who’ve crafted these champagnes over the past three decades. Between them, Daniel Thibault, Régis Camus, Thierry Roset and Cyril Brun have been awarded ‘Sparkling Winemaker of the Year’ at the International Wine Challenge 16 times. No other house has won more than twice. Today, the winemaking team is led by Emilien Erard, who became cellar master in July 2025 after nine years at Charles Heidsieck. The house is also celebrated for its dedication to sustainability. In 2022, Charles Heidsieck was one of the first Grand Marques, alongside Piper-Heidsieck, to achieve B Corp Certification, illustrating an ongoing commitment to improving both their social and environmental impact on the planet.

The House embraces a quality-focused winemaking philosophy with an emphasis on time and lees-ageing in their historic crayères, which is particularly evident in the ‘Brut Réserve’ non-vintage. For this cuvée, grapes are sourced from 60 different ‘crus’ across the region, with the fermentation and ageing of the base wines primarily undertaken in stainless steel to preserve freshness. The final blend comprises 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier, including 50% reserve wines with an average age of 10 years. The wine is then aged on its lees, in bottle, for a minimum of three years before release. These elements create an expression and texture that is more ‘Premium Cuvée’ than ‘Brut Réserve’, which accounts for its success in wine competitions.

The ‘Rosé Réserve’ non-vintage is pale in colour and delicately scented on the nose. The five per cent of red wine in the blend is sourced exclusively from Les Riceys, in the Côte des Bar, whose Pinot Noirs are full of flavour yet low in tannin. The ‘Blanc de Blancs’ non-vintage is made exclusively from 15 ‘crus’ of Chardonnay, spanning the Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, Côte de Sézanne, and Montgueux, blended with 30% reserve wine. Its freshness is balanced by excellent structure, richness and velvety texture, embodying the recognisable Charles style.

The 2018 vintage marks a milestone in the Maison’s history, being the first time the Brut Millésimé and Rosé Millésimé from the same vintage were released side by side. Although 2018 was a challenging vintage, meticulous attention to detail in the vineyards resulted in exceptional wines that exemplify Charles Heidsieck's signature elegance and depth. The Brut Millésimé blends 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, carefully chosen from six Grand and 1er Cru sites: Vertus, Verzy, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Tauxières, and Trigny. It is richly textured with notes of apricot, peach, and spiced quince. The 2018 ‘Rosé Millésimé’ blends 41% Chardonnay with 59% Pinot Noir, including 9% red wine from Bouzy, that reveals a rich red fruit profile and a touch of spice. The tannins are well structured, creating a silky, long-lasting finish.

Charles Heidsieck’s ‘Blanc des Millénaires’ is a masterpiece. Only nine vintages of this rare Blanc de Blancs cuvée have been produced: 1983, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2004, 2006, 2007 and the current release, 2014. Made from the best Chardonnay in the Côte des Blancs (Cramant, Avize, Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Vertus), this is an intensely elegant and distinctive prestige Blanc de Blancs. 2014 was an outstanding Chardonnay vintage, balancing bright acidity and citrus character with gentle toasted, smoky notes.

Paying tribute to the original five releases of ‘Cuvée Charlie’ in 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1985, the ‘Champagne Charlie Cellared 2020’ is the pinnacle of Charles Heidsieck’s style. The ‘Mis En Cave’ is based on the 2019 vintage, which blends Pinot Noir from Bouzy Grand Cru and Chardonnay from Vertus 1er Cru. The heart of the cuvée is formed of 2009 reserve wines from Avize Grand Cru and 1996 reserve wines from Cramant Grand Cru (11% of the final blend). This thirty-year-old reserve wine is a testament to the expertise of the long-term winemaking teams, through generations of Cellar Masters, to create a champagne of unparalleled depth, texture, and complexity.