Charles Heidsieck 'Champagne Charlie'

Please note: Due to the rarity of this product, we have a MAXIMUM ONE BOTTLE per customer - Only the sixth iteration of this sensational vintage champagne. Made in the years of 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1985 The 2017 is the first release for 37 years. - A multi-vintage blend of up to 80% reserve wines that have been aged for 25 years on lees. We suggest, opening this up and letting it breathe for a several minutes. - Pair with Beluga Caviar, Truffle Brie, Aged Comte or vintage parmesan.  The Champagne Charlie legend is intertwined with the soul of a man who bequeathed so many new ideas to his House, and who knew what it was to be an entrepreneur, a gentleman and an innovator. Free-spirited and adventurous, his inspiration was enough to encourage his heirs today to recreate a cuvée in his name and, more particularly, in his nickname. Charles Heidsieck transmitted an important legacy: the art of blending. While his competitors focused on meticulously selecting crus, vines and varietals, he concentrated on establishing agreements with the most gifted winegrowers in Champagne, picking out wines from a large range of villages. He could turn every cuvée to good effect, leaving each to age at its own pace, depending on its character, until full maturity. One bottle of Charles Heidsieck wine can contain up to almost 60 different crus, each differing in cellaring times but generally longer than the average time. In addition, our art of blending ensures that Charles Heidsieck wines boast good cellaring potential. The Champagne Charlie cuvée will be one of the most distinctive from an ageing point of view: a large part of the blend comes from réserve wines aged on lees for up to 25 years. Technical details Close to 80% matured réserve wines and 20% wines from 2016. 48% Pinot Noir and 52% Chardonnay. On the nose: Notes of grapefruit, roasted pineapple enlivened with the vivacity of toasted and mineral notes. After several seconds, aromas of fresh fruits (apricots, vineyard peaches) briefly appear to give way to persistent notes of pastry. On the palate: The texture is truly the soul of Charlie, where we find that paradox of juvenile freshness and fleshiness, with a silkiness befitting of a more mature wine. This ‘dry fleshiness’ is enhanced with a highly nuanced effervescence, composed of extremely harmonious bubbles. The finish reveals candied citrus and exotic passionfruit notes. Watch the exclusive winemaker interview trailer below or full version here   About the house What makes Charles Heidsieck such an excellent house? There are many avenues we can discuss, however, the focus will be on their unashamed pursuit of quality through long cellar; ageing, a back catalogue of reserve wines in solera and a multitude of vineyard sites to select across. They produce some 800,000 bottles each year which is small on the grand scheme of champagne production. The Chef de Cave is Cyril Brun who has done a sterling job of crafting some extraordinary wines. According to our friend and colleague Tyson Stelzer, "The new Charles Heidsieck is built on deep, autumnal complexity, juxtaposed with vibrant energy and astonishing poise. Its cuvées have never looked finer." Tyson Stelzer - The Champagne Guide 2018-2019 Food Suggestion As a pairing suggestion during our visit in June 2017, we were served a Brie de Meaux with a filling of black truffle. The chef created something unique. He sliced the brie in two, and by using a combination of brie, whipped cream and truffle, he blended these into a fine mousse and spread this in between the two slices. The result is nothing short of truffle magic.