Champagne Charles Heidsieck - Brut Réserve

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The jewel in the crown of the Descours family, Charles Heidsieck deserves to be considered one of today's most brilliant brands. It owes this status to the superb definition of each of its champagnes and the mellow, smooth roundness that is so characteristic of the "Charles style." The house style is not based on power, tension or minerality, but on elegance.

Guide Hachette des vins

About wine:

Intense and complex, the nose reveals a wide range of aromas: exotic fruits, citrus fruits, pastries, buttercream, mocha, and praline. This complexity continues on the palate, which is round and creamy, skillfully balanced, persistent, and marked by a return of praline aromas on the finish. A remarkable champagne for dining.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About wine:

Rather fresh and shy, the nose gradually reveals subtle notes of white fruit and cut grass. Peppermint and tarragon add freshness. On the palate, the bubbles are present without being overpowering, giving way to a bright and cheerful texture. There is a sensation of fleshy fruit before a lively and chiseled finish with notes of ginger. The dosage and acidity are perfectly balanced, leaving the palate clean and ready for a second glass.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

The NV Brut Reserve, a blend of over 60 different crus and 150 wines, evokes aromas of brioche, pastry, ripe orchard fruits, beeswax, and spices. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, enveloping and charming, it has a fleshy fruit core, fine mousse, and delicate acids, making it a charming and delicate Champagne.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

A beautiful range of aromas in a profile reduced on lees but without ever falling into austerity. The beautiful patina of reserve wines delivers a complex juice. The palate has a dosage that slightly coats the attack, but the wine handles it well. It is a non-vintage brut with character and length.

About the estate:

This small house, founded in 1851 in Reims and well known to discerning connoisseurs, owes its success to the style of its vinous, rounded champagnes. With a very high proportion of reserve wines in the blend (40%) and a dosage of 8g, Charles-Heidsieck's non-vintage brut cultivates an original style, somewhat contrary to certain trends, but with an undeniable personality. Since the house was bought by the Descours family in 2011, a new era has begun for the house, which, without losing its soul, is returning to the forefront with a complete range of high-quality wines. A trajectory that we are rewarding with a second star.

Vinous

About wine:

NV Brut Réserve is a blend of 40% Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier, containing up to 50% aged reserve wines. It has spent four years on lees and opens with a characteristic smoky and sulfurous reduction. Redcurrant and lemon follow, leading to an ultra-clear, bright and lively palate, limpid for the Chardonnay and structured for the Pinot, managing to be rich and round without a hint of fat. The supple autolysis manifests itself in a slightly peppery rye crumb that pairs well with this reductive style.

James Suckling

About wine:

A creamy, silky champagne with notes of lemon, pastry, and apple compote on the nose. It is medium-bodied and layered with fine bubbles and savory pastry notes on the fresh, balanced finish. Drink now.

Jeb Dunnuck

About wine:

The Champagne Réserve Brut NV is based on the 2018 vintage plus 50% reserve wine dating back to 1998, which adds substantial depth to the entry-level wine in this range. Composed of 40% Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and 20% Meunier, the wine has a youthful golden hue and is round and ripe with classic aromas of lemon curd, toasted brioche, and fresh peach. Full-bodied and supple, it continues on the palate with ripe, juicy fruit, refined, mellow mousse, and notes of orange marmalade on the finish. This is a benchmark style that will hold up well and drink nicely for the next 10 years.