Charles Heidsieck 'Champagne Charlie' Cellared 2017

Based on the 2016 vintage, this wine builds on its magnificent wealth of reserve wines. There is already high expression upon release, a super complex nose with vanilla, burned sugar, caramel and liquorice meeting tangerine, pineapple, dried apricots and honey. The sumptuously sweet character continues on the soothingly mellow palate oozing reserve wine richness. Here, the 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir going back down to 1998 blend harmoniously into something luxuriously textured. Perfectly balanced with its 7g/l dosage. Tasted by Essi Avellan MW

To celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Charles-Camille Heidsieck, the Champagne house has revived the much-loved Champagne Charlie bottling. But this time, it is a multi-vintage blend. The first, 2016-based release contains 80 percent reserve wines spanning almost two decades and 20% Aÿ Grand Cru Pinot Noir from the 2016 harvest. The final blend 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir going back down to 1998. Champagne Charlie is now planned to be made every few years. The inaugural release stretches to a mere 3800 bottles and future releases will also come in magnums and jeroboams.

In the late 1970s, then cellarmaster Daniel Thibault worked alongside the Heidsieck family to create Champagne Charlie as a tribute to their ancestor. With a long experience shaping the Charles’ signature wine style, Thibault followed his instinct to undertake what would be one of the most resounding successes in his winemaking career - the creation of the five editions of Champagne Charlie - 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1985.

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.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru
Grape Varieties: 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir from Aÿ, dating back to 1998
Lees Ageing: 4 years
Base vintage: 2016
Reserve wines: 78% back to 1998
Bottling date: 2017
Disgorged: November 2021
Dosage: 7 g/l
Production: 5,500 Bottles
Drink: Now to 2032