Charles Heidsieck Cuvée Charlie Brut
478.04₣ (Exc. VAT bot. 75 cl.) / Switzerland
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
When Cyril Brun was briefed to recreate this iconic cuvée, he struggled to achieve the plenitude and drama he was looking for. Then, he dug in the Heidsieck archives and discovered, as he tells it, that the famous vintages of Charlie, while vintaged on paper, actually contained reserve wines. Brun therefore gave himself carte blanche to draw on the house's best lots to put together the inaugural NV Champagne Charlie, based on the 2016 vintage but incorporating fully 78% reserve wines dating back two decades. Bursting with aromas of golden orchard fruit, brioche, honeycomb, peaches, spices and buttery pastry, it's full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a layered core of fruit, racy acids and a beautifully refined pinpoint mousse. Some 52% of the blend is Chardonnay, with Brun looking for ripe, exotic Chardonnay to complement more tensile lots of Pinot Noir. It's a compelling, flamboyant wine—the only thing that may make consumers smart is the price.
Features
Type of wine
Pairings
Style
Occasions
Winery
Size
Appellation
Alcohol
12.0%
Grapes
Serving
Between 8ºC and 10ºC
Winemaking
Second fermentation in bottle with a minimum ageing of 25 years and a final dosage of 9 g/l (Brut).
Description
Charles Heidsieck Cuvée Charlie Brut is a liquid representation of the history and legacy of one of the most prestigious champagne houses.
Charles Heidsieck was inspired by history, starting with the character of the founder, Charles-Camille Heidsieck (1822 - 1893), to create a champagne worthy of his character. The legend of Champagne Charlie is intertwined with the soul of a man who bequeathed so many new ideas to his Maison and who knew what it meant to be an entrepreneur, a gentleman and an innovator. His inspiration was enough to encourage his heirs to recreate a cuvée in his name and, more specifically, in his nickname.
Elaboration
The house of Charles Heidsieck has passed on an important legacy: the art of blending. While his competitors focused on the meticulous selection of crus, grape varieties and varietals, he concentrated on establishing partnerships with Champagne's most talented winemakers, selecting wines from a wide range of crus. A single Charles Heidsieck wine can contain up to almost 60 different crus, each with different storage times, generally longer than average. In addition, the art of blending ensures that Charles Heidsieck wines have good cellaring potential. The cuvée Champagne Charlie will be one of the most distinctive from an ageing point of view: a large part of the blend comes from reserve wines aged on lees for up to 25 years. For this edition, approximately 80% of the matured reserve wines are used with a remaining 20% from the vintage. It is composed of 48% Pinot Noir and 52% Chardonnay.
Taste
Champagne Charlie is bright and golden on the nose with notes of grapefruit and toasted pineapple with toasty and mineral notes. After a few seconds, aromas of fresh fruit (apricots, vineyard peaches) briefly appear to give way to lingering pastry notes. On the palate, the structure is really the soul of Charlie, where we find that paradigm of youthful freshness and fleshiness, with a silkiness worthy of a more mature wine. This 'dry fleshiness' is enhanced by a very nuanced effervescence composed of extremely harmonious bubbles. The finish reveals notes of candied citrus and exotic passion fruit.
Shipping to Switzerland
50% discount on orders over 395.32₣*Estimated transit time: 6-7 working days.
| Bottles | Price | Over 395.32₣* |
|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | 23.87₣ | 11.93₣ (-11.93₣) |
| 7-12 | 29.55₣ | 14.78₣ (-14.78₣) |
| 13-18 | 36.47₣ | 18.23₣ (-18.23₣) |
| 19-24 | 45.86₣ | 22.93₣ (-22.93₣) |
| 25-30 | 51.39₣ | 25.70₣ (-25.70₣) |
| 31-36 | 57.32₣ | 28.66₣ (-28.66₣) |
| 37-42 | 61.27₣ | 30.64₣ (-30.64₣) |
| 43-48 | 63.25₣ | 31.63₣ (-31.63₣) |
| 49-54 | 69.18₣ | 34.59₣ (-34.59₣) |
| 55-60 | 75.11₣ | 37.56₣ (-37.56₣) |
| VAT not included | ||
** Shipments to Switzerland include transport costs, insurance and export costs (SAD in origin), but not customs duties (SAD at destination) and local taxes.
***At Gourmet Hunters wine prices are exempt from 21% VAT for all shipments to Switzerland. Once in your shopping cart select Switzerland as delivery address to enjoy your order tax free.
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