CharlesHeidsieckBlancdesMillenairesBlancdeBlancs1995

Of the three Champagne houses named Heidsieck â€?all originating from families once related â€?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 Charlieâ€?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.rrCharles Heidsieck’s prestige cuvée is a blend of pure Chardonnay from just five different Crus: Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger and Vertus. An absolute masterpiece from the Côte des Blancs, this cuvée spends more than fifteen years maturing in the heart of Charles Heidsieck’s two-thousand-year-old chalk cellars.rrWeather: The 1995 harvest was a large crop and shared similar characteristics with the renowned 1998. Following four consecutive years of tough growing conditions, 1995 came as a huge relief to the region â€?the first universally declared vintage since 1990. The summer was mainly hot, with some showers a few weeks before the harvest. Now, over twenty years since bottling, champagne from 1995 are starting to show flavours of incredibly complex, rich and concentrated fruits.rrTechnical Information:rVineyards: Grand Cru | Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger & 1er Cru VertusrGrape Varieties: 100% ChardonnayrAgeing: 15 years on the leesrDisgorged: Spring 2014rDosage: 12.2 g/lrDrink: Now to 2029rrTasting Note: A rich golden colour, the bouquet expresses buttery and vanilla aromas. The palate is rich and complex with notes of pineapple and ripe white fruit flavour. This tastes surprisingly young, displaying all the characteristics of a mature Chardonnay and has incredible potential for ageing. Simply exceptional! Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 1995 is a seriously voluptuous champagne.