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The Charles Heidsieck house was founded in 1851 in Reims by the visionary entrepreneur Charles-Camille Heidsieck. Coming from a family of German merchants established in Champagne since the 18th century, Charles was driven by a clear ambition: to create an independent house that would bear his own name. From the very beginning, he stood out for his boldness and business acumen.
Charles Heidsieck was quickly nicknamed "Champagne Charlie", especially in the American market where he popularized champagne. He traveled several times to the United States in the 1850s, bringing with him his bottles and cuvées.His visionary marketing approach (at a time when champagne remained a product reserved for the European elite) enabled him to win over a wealthy clientele in New York, New Orleans, and even Boston.
In 1861, Charles-Camille fell victim to a delicate political context: the American Civil War. Wrongly accused of espionage, he was imprisoned in Louisiana before being released thanks to the intervention of Napoleon III. This episode helped to forge his legend and strengthen the image of Charles Heidsieck champagne as a symbol of prestige and adventure.
Upon his return to France, Charles continued to expand his distribution. His cuvées then appealed to both royal courts and the great European bourgeoisie. Since the end of the 19th century, the house has established itself permanently in the Champagne landscape and developed a recognizable style: a champagne balanced between roundness, power, and freshness.
In the 20th century, the company invested in Gallo-Roman chalk cellars in Reims. These deep and spectacular underground cellars became the heart of the maturation process for the estate’s champagnes. Their constant temperature and ideal humidity indeed allow slow and harmonious aging of bottles and other magnums. This exceptional heritage, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an integral part of the identity of Charles Heidsieck and the tasting experience offered by the house.
Today, the house continues to be a benchmark, in Reims and around the world.It has belonged since 2011 to the EPI Group (Descours family), which also owns other prestigious houses in Champagne (Piper-Heidsieck), as well as in other regions (Château la Verrerie in Provence, Biondi-Santi estate in Italy, etc.).
Production remains deliberately limited in order to guarantee exceptional quality. The style of Charles Heidsieck champagnes is also regularly praised by critics, and the company positions itself above all as a connoisseur’s house.
Would you like to discover the Charlie range ? Here is a summary of the style of the different bottles in the Charles Heidsieck range.
-Brut Réserve : this is the flagship cuvée of the house. The Brut Réserve embodies the elegance and complexity characteristic of the Charles Heidsieck style. Composed of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Meunier, this champagne benefits from a significant proportion of reserve wines (about 50%), giving it remarkable aromatic richness. On the nose, the Brut Réserve reveals notes of ripe fruits such as apricot and mirabelle plum, accompanied by hints of freshly baked brioche and hazelnut. On the palate, it offers a creamy texture, fine effervescence, and a long, elegant finish.
-Brut Rosé Réserve : The Brut Rosé Réserve from Charles Heidsieck is an elegant and refined champagne, combining the power of Pinot Noir with the finesse of Chardonnay and the fruitiness of Pinot Meunier. This cuvée is composed of 25% reserve wines and 5 to 6% red wine from the village of Les Riceys. It is a champagne revealing fresh red fruit aromas, such as strawberry and cherry, combined with delicate floral notes. On the palate, it presents a beautiful structure, well-balanced acidity, and a persistent finish that is very indulgente.
-Blanc de Blancs Brut: This magnificent blanc de blancs is composed of 25% reserve wines and extended maturation in the house’s chalk cellars. It is a precise champagne, oscillating between liveliness and indulgentise. You will find a great finesse of bubbles as well as aromas of peach, ripe citrus, and notes of hazelnut, brioche, and white flowers.A delight of finesse !
-Blanc des Millénaires : Blanc des Millénaires is a Blanc de Blancs made from the finest crus of the Côte des Blancs. Each vintage is the result of a rigorous selection and exceptional aging in the cellar. The aromatic complexity here is extraordinary and highlights the character of the selected year, always with great precision and a pronounced minerality. One of the greatest sparkling wines in all of Champagne !
-Champagne Charlie : Champagne Charlie was relaunched in 2022 to celebrate the bicentenary of its founder's birth. This exceptional champagne, initially produced in the 1980s, pays tribute to the pioneering spirit of "Champagne Charlie". The cuvée is composed of 80% reserve wines and offers remarkable aromatic complexity. On the nose, it reveals notes of grapefruit, roasted pineapple, toasted bread, and minerality. On the palate, it offers a silky texture, delicate effervescence, and a long, elegant finish, with hints of peach, pear, and a persistent liveliness. This cuvée is ideal for lovers of complex and refined champagnes, offering a unique sensory experience.
Please note that the Heidsieck house also offers a vintage Brut as well as a vintage Rosé. Finally, a still red wine in AOC Coteaux Champenois is also produced in very small quantities.
Charles Heidsieck champagnes embody a unique style, shaped by generously integrated reserve wines in the blends and by long aging in the house’s chalk cellars in Reims. These refined cuvées naturally lend themselves to a multitude of gastronomic pairings, ranging from great classics to more daring combinations. Here are a few examples to enhance your bottles in the cellar.
Brut Réserve is the quintessential balanced champagne. With its ripe fruity notes, brioche, and hazelnut, it pairs just as well with seafood (oysters, shrimp, scallop carpaccio) as with more generous dishes such as chicken vol-au-vent or mushroom risotto. As an aperitif, it will also enhance cheese gougères or a platter of fine charcuterie.
With its aromas of strawberry and raspberry, the Rosé Réserve pairs wonderfully with colorful summer cuisine: a salmon tartare, a sea bream ceviche, or even a salad with red berries and balsamic vinegar. For a more sophisticated pairing, it will also perfectly accompany roasted pigeon or duck breast with cherries.
This great vintage sparkling wine, with aromas of white flowers, peach, and mineral notes, calls for refined gastronomic pairings. It can be served with seared scallops, roasted lobster with vanilla butter, or even Aquitaine caviar. Its tension and depth also make it a perfect companion for a mature hard cheese such as an aged Comté. Moments of grace ahead…
The Blanc de Blancs Charles Heidsieck embodies all the purity and elegance of Chardonnay from the grand crus of the Côte des Blancs. At the table, it naturally finds its place alongside seafood such as oysters, scallops, or a sea bass ceviche, but also with fine fish such as turbot or sole meunière. It will also perfectly enhance sushi and sashimi, or even a tuna tartare with lime zest. Finally, its balance between minerality and creamy texture makes it an ideal companion for delicate cheeses such as fresh goat cheese or Chaource.
A symbol of the house's visionary style, the Champagne Charlie cuvée combines richness, maturity, and elegance. It is a contemplative champagne that deserves exceptional dishes: grilled langoustines, sole meunière, Bresse chicken with cream or even a platter of matured cheeses (Chaource, aged Comté, Parmesan). To finish in style, it can enhance a candied citrus dessert and will also be a wonderful pairing with this exceptional bottle, which will leave you with an unforgettable tasting experience.
As you have understood, the Charles Heidsieck house is an absolute must-discover if you are a champagne enthusiast.
By choosing to order your champagnes from your online wine merchant La Cave Éclairée, you also benefit from much more than just a simple selection of bottles. Our cellar indeed guarantees our customers a large available stock, competitive prices, as well as fast and secure delivery throughout France and Europe. Our customers’ reviews speak for themselves, just check them ! Whether you wish to purchase a bottle in a case, a gift box, a full case, or simply a single bottle or a magnum, we make it a point of honor to offer you reliable and personalized service.
Thanks to our collection of over 350 selections, with a majority of organic and biodynamic wines, we support you on every occasion: tastings with friends, gourmet meals, business gifts, or major events. Enjoy your tasting !
