Champagne Charles Heidsieck - Brut Réserve
Charles Heidsieck is a Champagne House in Reims, founded in 1851 by Charles Heidsieck. Rather than investing in vineyards, Heidsieck invested in underground chalk cellars based in the center of Reims called Les Crayères. They were less than 100 metres away from the German front line during the First World War and managed to survive, even though 80% of Reims was destroyed. The cellars have been used to age wines for nearly 150 years and are still part of the house today. In 1852, Charles Heidsieck left France for America, a market that was so far untouched by Champagne. He found great success there and was seen as not only an ambassador for Champagne but for France as a whole.
The Brut Reserve is a blend of 60 crus; the wines produced that year (1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Chardonnay and 1/3 Pinot Meunier) are vinified cru by cru, varietal by varietal in stainless steels vats. It is then added to 40% of reserve wines, equally divided between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The average age of the reserve wines is 10 years, taken from the best crus from the best years. The wines placed in reserve are kept in vats for between 5 and 15 years.
Grape varieties: 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Meunier