Charles Heidsieck, Brut Millesime, Champagne, France, 2018

Overview of the Wine
From the very start, the wines of Charles Heidsieck managed to seduce the royal courts of Europe. Today, the House’s wines are awarded the highest accolades by professional juries across the world. The quantity of medals and trophies regularly earned by Charles Heidsieck is simply extraordinary. The winemaking team has been awarded the “Winemaker of the Year” trophy nine times by the UK International Wine Challenge.

Régis Camus joined Charles Heidsieck in 1994 and has been the head winemaker of the House since 2002. This meticulous and passionate professional likes to keep an eye on everything: the state of the vineyards, the selection of the grapes, their pressing and their vinification, cru by cru, in individual vats. His mission is to perpetuate the Charles Heidsieck style, reflecting the richness of the Champagne region.

Winemaker
Régis Camus

Grape / Blend
55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay

Origin
Champagne, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
A luminous golden colour with lively bubbles. A discreet nose that opens upwith notes of cocoa, roasted coffee, brioche, quince and roasted pineapple. On swirling, aromas of yellow fruit come to the fore: peach and apricot, as do the delicious flavours of blackberry jelly. Round and generous on the palate, with a full attack. From the very first sip, the juicy fruit aromas build in strength. The finish is tangy, with a gentle bitterness of cocoa and liquorice.   

96 Points - James Suckling
Very polished. Medium-bodied with lovely, sophisticated yet subtle flavors of dried apricots, grapefruit and peaches. Finely structured with creamy bubbles that give tension and focus. Touch of salt. Long and satisfying. A blend of 55% pinot noir and 45% chardonnay. Dosage 8 g/L. Drink now.

96 Points - Wine Enthusiast
The nose is rich and exuberant, with toasted hazelnuts layered over citrus oil, orange peel, honeysuckle and fresh honey. Bright acidity keeps the palate lively and linear, drawing out the most seductive notes of pear, toffee, salty butter and brioche. Stunningly balanced and complex, it's a joy to explore sip by sip.

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
Émilien Erard’s first vintage working at Heidsieck, the 2018 Champagne Millesime Brut has a shimmering yellow hue, while the nose reveals notes of ripe peaches, with a fleshy stone fruit character that is characteristic of the house. Disgorged in 2024, this 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay blend, with no oak, was aged entirely in stainless steel tanks. They were aiming to preserve the freshness of this vintage to enhance its aging potential. The mousse is frothy and floral, expressive and open in this vintage. Drink 2026-2050. (AF)

93 Points - Decanter 
Charles Heidsieck's 2018 is an unusual assemblage which successfully finds some focus and energy in this generous, sometimes slightly diffuse ripe vintage. Alongside plenty of juicy stone fruit Pinot Noir and sweet, sunny tangerine there's an appealing snap of bittersweet grapefruit Chardonnay, a large part of which unusually hails from sandy Trigny just north of Reims. The stylish toasty nougat richness, set against the clean-cut precision and easy approachability of the house, is certainly on show, and both 2018s present fine mid-term drinking (TH)

92 Points - Vinous
The 2018 Brut Millésime is an attractive, open-knit offering. Apricot, yellow flowers, baked apple tart and light tropical overtones all grace this mid-weight, forward Champagne from Charles Heidsieck. All the elements are very well put together, adding to the wine's considerable charm. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged: 2024. (AG)

Product size: 750ml