We are big fans of site-specific Grower Champagnes; yet, we are also fervent believers in the magical alchemy of the blender's art as exhibited in the sublime multi-vintage Bruts produced by a few of the top-tier Grande Marque houses. One such wonder is Charles Heidsieck's Brut Reserve. Since the days of Charles Heidsieck's legendary chef-de-cave Daniel Thibault (back in the 1970s), the focus of the house has been, first and foremost, to create the best possible cuvées for their non-vintage Brut Reserve even when it meant forgoing production of a worthy vintage Champagne. The resultant "Charles Brut" was a generous, sophisticated Champagne that has a strong, long-standing insider's following for its consistent quality.
In 2015, then chef-de-cave Cyril Brun set about to give the "Charles Brut" a bit of a make over. The goal was to achieve more freshness especially in light of Champagne's everwarming climate. Brun turned the role of reserve wines upside down, noting: "We hold our most acidic wine as reserves, so many of our reserve wines are fresher than our new base wines... so in warm vintages like 2018 and 2022 when we have less acidity we can correct with reserve wines." Sparing no expense, Brun increased the amount of reserve components in the blend from 25-30 percent to over 50%-- some of these wines are aged up to twenty years in large steel tanks in the firm's deep chalk caves. Grape sourcing was also upgraded by culling 120 vineyard sites down to 60. With these, and a myriad other quality tweaks, it is easy to see that even at its "regular" sixty-five dollar price, Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve is a terrific value. With our twenty dollars a bottle discount this revamped "Charles Brut" is a not-to-be-missed steal. This 2019-based Brut Reserve is still a creamy trilateral blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier like the traditional "Charles" but it displays much more buoyancy, cut and length.
JAMES SUCKLING 95 POINTS - "Really fine bubbles. Extremely intense, showing dried apples, peaches and light apricots with brioche and pie crust. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a long, long finish. Very subtle. A blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier."
WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "Based on the 2019 vintage and enriched by 50% reserve wines—stored in steel tanks and incorporating some 100 individual wines, averaging a decade in age—Charles Heidsieck’s NV Brut Réserve opens with aromas of candied lemon peel, ripe pear and pineapple mingling with buttered toast and a hint of burnt sugar. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, charming and textural, with a sweet and fleshy fruit core, succulent yet vibrant acidity and a persistent, toasty finish."
JEB DUNNUCK 92 POINTS - "The NV Champagne Reserve Brut is based on the 2018 vintage plus 50% reserve wine going back to 1998, which adds substantial depth to the entry wine in this range. Composed of 40% each Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and 20% Meunier, the wine pours a youthful golden hue and is rounded and ripe with classic aromas of lemon curd, toasted brioche, and fresh peach. Full-bodied and supple, this continues to the palate with ripe and juicy mouth-filling fruit, a refined and pillowy mousse, and notes of orange marmalade on the finish."
Bottled 2020 and disgorged in 2023.
MANY MORE 90+ POINT SCORES!
In 2015, then chef-de-cave Cyril Brun set about to give the "Charles Brut" a bit of a make over. The goal was to achieve more freshness especially in light of Champagne's everwarming climate. Brun turned the role of reserve wines upside down, noting: "We hold our most acidic wine as reserves, so many of our reserve wines are fresher than our new base wines... so in warm vintages like 2018 and 2022 when we have less acidity we can correct with reserve wines." Sparing no expense, Brun increased the amount of reserve components in the blend from 25-30 percent to over 50%-- some of these wines are aged up to twenty years in large steel tanks in the firm's deep chalk caves. Grape sourcing was also upgraded by culling 120 vineyard sites down to 60. With these, and a myriad other quality tweaks, it is easy to see that even at its "regular" sixty-five dollar price, Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve is a terrific value. With our twenty dollars a bottle discount this revamped "Charles Brut" is a not-to-be-missed steal. This 2019-based Brut Reserve is still a creamy trilateral blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier like the traditional "Charles" but it displays much more buoyancy, cut and length.
JAMES SUCKLING 95 POINTS - "Really fine bubbles. Extremely intense, showing dried apples, peaches and light apricots with brioche and pie crust. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a long, long finish. Very subtle. A blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier."
WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "Based on the 2019 vintage and enriched by 50% reserve wines—stored in steel tanks and incorporating some 100 individual wines, averaging a decade in age—Charles Heidsieck’s NV Brut Réserve opens with aromas of candied lemon peel, ripe pear and pineapple mingling with buttered toast and a hint of burnt sugar. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, charming and textural, with a sweet and fleshy fruit core, succulent yet vibrant acidity and a persistent, toasty finish."
JEB DUNNUCK 92 POINTS - "The NV Champagne Reserve Brut is based on the 2018 vintage plus 50% reserve wine going back to 1998, which adds substantial depth to the entry wine in this range. Composed of 40% each Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and 20% Meunier, the wine pours a youthful golden hue and is rounded and ripe with classic aromas of lemon curd, toasted brioche, and fresh peach. Full-bodied and supple, this continues to the palate with ripe and juicy mouth-filling fruit, a refined and pillowy mousse, and notes of orange marmalade on the finish."
Bottled 2020 and disgorged in 2023.
MANY MORE 90+ POINT SCORES!
