Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires

Champagne

TYPIQUEMENT CHARLES AND STANDING TRUE TO THE HOUSE'S LONG TRADITIONS AROUND BLANC DE BLANCS WINES, the House has a long history of producing exceptional Blanc de Blancs. In the early 1980s, the Charles Heidsieck Cellar Master decided to reserve the very best Chardonnays for a cuvée named Blanc des Millénaires. Across thirty years, only seven Blanc des Millénaires have ever been produced; 1983, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2004, 2006 and now, 2007. The House’s exacting requirements for quality and ageing potential show how exceptional the Chardonnays from these harvests were.

Tasting Notes

A pale gold colour with glints of light green typical of chardonnay grapes and in contrast to the previous 2006 vintage. The saline minerality of the Côte des Blancs is all-pervading. We detect toasted and smoky notes. When swirled, fresh citrus notes appear: grapefruit, yuzu and quince. They bring a cheeky youthfulness to this fine nose, combined with creamy accents and subtil salt butter caramel notes. The identity of the vintage is intertwined with a sharp and classy acidity. An enveloping texture is then revealed with accents of lemon meringue pie and subtle saline notes. Its generosity is very prominent and will continue to develop with ageing. The finish is long and full-bodied with silky sensations.

The very nature of this vintage makes it perfect, first and foremost, for drinking as an aperitif or at the start of a meal. The sea is its favourite territory for gastronomic pairing, but it perfectly matches with Italian cheeses. SEAFOOD: flying fish roe, sea urchin coral, smoked eel, large oysters and abalone ACCOMPANIMENTS: seaweed, coriander, lemongrass, shiso, lemon balm, peppermint CHEESES: mozzarella, scarmozza, Pecorino di Pienza

The year 2007 is anachronistic in its wine profile: it is reminiscent of the profile of the great Blanc de Blancs of the 1980s and 1990s, with restrained maturity and biting acidity. This year caused concern to begin with because everything was so early. Spring and bud break occurred before their usual time. Flowering started on May 25th. Poor weather made it difficult to care for the vineyard, but, at the same time, preserved a good acidity. A rather cool summer, combined with heavy rains just before harvest, made us forget the red-hot summers of preceding years.

Almost 15 years of ageing, including 12 years on lees in the House millenary chalk cellars, inspiration for the name of Blanc des Mill naires. This unusual vintage so befitting of Chardonnay, took back to the classic days. Yield exceeded usual Appellation standards with bunches of exceptional average weight: 168g versus 128g for Meunier and 136 g for Pinot Noir. A good sugar and acid balance was achieved, with 9.5 degrees for 8.5g total acidity, and relatively low pH values.

4 Grands crus et 1 Premier Cru from the Côte des Blancs, selected for their ability to develop and fully express their opulence once matured: Oger, Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize, Cramant, Vertus.

BLEND: 100% Chardonnay DOSAGE: 7g/l CELLARING: within 30 years

TYPIQUEMENT CHARLES AND STANDING TRUE TO THE HOUSE'S LONG TRADITIONS AROUND BLANC DE BLANCS WINES, the House has a long history of producing exceptional Blanc de Blancs. In the early 1980s, the Charles Heidsieck Cellar Master decided to reserve the very best Chardonnays for a cuvée named Blanc des Millénaires. Across thirty years, only six Blanc des Millénaires have ever been produced; 1983, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2004, and now, 2006. The House’s exacting requirements for quality and ageing potential show how exceptional the Chardonnays from these harvests were.

Tasting Notes

A deep golden hue with glints of light green, this cuvée offers floral notes of violets and acacia and lead into deeper notes of blood oranges, stonefruit, fig and date, complemented by subtle herbal notes of mild tobacco and eucalyptus.  The palate's remarkable texture is the special signature of Blanc des Millénaires. Beginning with a saline and chalky texture, the palate moves into creamy notes of nougat, citrus and whipped cream, with a round and generous finish, almost glowing with toasted accents. It is, in fact, similar to its 1995 ancestor: a magnificent reference!  

Cellar Mater Cyril Brun recommends pairing Blanc des Millénaires with seafood, such as tartar of langoustines with passion fruit, roast John Dory, or pressed, uncooked cheese such as Saint Nectaire or Morbier.

Despite extreme weather conditions, the 2006 harvest was a generous one. The winter was cold with heavy snowfall, followed by several spring storms across May, then stifling heat at the beginning of summer. Record temperatures featured across July, with a cold and rainy August to follow. Finally, a spell of dry, sunny weather in September was particularly helpful for maturing the grapes and ensuring an unexpectedly smooth and generous harvest.

This 100% Chardonnay is composed of four Grands Crus: Cramant, Avize, Oger, and Le Mesnil sur Oger and 1 Premier Cru, Vertus

TYPIQUEMENT CHARLES AND STANDING TRUE TO THE HOUSE'S LONG TRADITIONS AROUND BLANC DE BLANCS WINES, the Chef de Caves singled out the greatest Chardonnays for this cuvée called Blanc des Millénaires. Only four previous vintages were created under this name: 1983, 1985, 1990, and 1995. The extreme exigency which the House demands is particularly clear with this cuvée. The fabulously fresh 2004 vintage offers the beautiful patina, long finish. and silky texture so characteristic of this cuvée and this wine is as legendary as the celebrated founder of the House, Mr. Heidsieck himself.

Tasting Notes

Shimmering and golden robe in hue with delicate effervescence, this cuvée offers elegant notes of lemon and apple blossoms with a hint of salty butter and almonds along with a toasted nuance of crème anglaise. At the onset, fresh citrus gives the wine a taut crispness which is followed by a gradual persistence and intensity. The mouthfeel is dynamic and perfectly structured with mineral tones and a long and well-rounded finish with rich texture.

This 100% Chardonnay is composed of four Grands Crus: Cramant, Avize, Oger, and Le Mesnil sur Oger and 1 Premier Cru, Vertus

IN 1993, CHARLES HEIDSIECK RELEASED ITS FIRST BLANC DES MILLÉNAIRES from its prestigious 1983 vintage for the first time. Since then, the House has only unveiled two vintages of this wine, in 1985 and 1995. This shows just how exceptional the Chardonnays from those harvests were! A vintage Blanc de Blancs that owes its name to the Chardonnay grapes, the exclusive variety from which it is produced, as well as to its long aging in the House’s chalk cellars. These unique and spectacular two thousand year old crayères that Charles acquired in 1867 are part of the historical sites of the UNESCO’s world heritage list.

Tasting Notes

A magnificent, luminous, golden hue with primrose highlights, elaborated exclusively from Chardonnay grapes. A delicate, distinctive bubble, the result of exceptional aging in Gallo-Romain chalk cellars. Four Côte des Blancs grands crus and one premier cru: this meticulous selection grants a unique nobility, elegance, and generosity to this wine. The rich bouquet offers up aromas of dried and candied fruits with hazelnuts, almonds and dates. The wine of a connoisseur, with deep, heady notes of beeswax and nougat. The year 1995 finds expression thanks to the voluptuous, and yet delicate texture so characteristic of the Blanc des Millénaires. Smooth and sensual, the wine reveals its generosity in notes of salty caramel and its mildness with notes of cream enhanced with hints of citrus, toasted almonds, spices (vanilla and ginger) and cedar wood. A fresh finish highlights the potential of this wine, produced with great Chardonnays.

A unique emotion, the impression of eternity just like how one feels when standing in the heart of the Gallo-Roman chalk cellars: such is the sensation experienced when tasting this legendary vintage. At the heart of one of the most beautiful and rare chalk cellars in Champagne, the wine has been kept under perfect aging conditions: a haven of quiet where the temperature remains at 50°F all year round and where the atmosphere is constant.

It has taken almost 20 years of maturing in these extraordinary chalk cellars to mellow the carbonation, to generate the fine, delicate bubbles so typical of the Blanc des Millénaires 1995 and take it towards its ultimate smoothness.

Almost a year of additional resting time after disgorging is still required by the Cellar Master to perfect the final balance and complete the masterpiece. The promise of an unforgettable moment...

Chardonnay is the only variety used in this exceptionally textured cuvée. From the range of choices offered by the Champagne region, five major crus from the Côte des Blancs have been meticulously selected, on the one hand for their ability to evolve and, on the other, for their ability to fully express their character during the maturation period: Oger for its unctuousness and structure, Mesnil-sur-Oger for balance, Avize for its minerality, Cramant for its complexity and Vertus for its freshness and floral notes.

100% Chardonnay

  • 20231130

    94

    points

    Wine Spectator, November 2023

    "“Sleek and linear, with racy acidity defining the up-front impact on the palate, but then the plushly creamy texture deftly delivers woven aromas and flavors of apricot and ripe white raspberry, pickled ginger, white blossoms and salted Marcona almond, allowing them to expand through to the mineral-laced finish. Disgorged 2021. Drink now through 2030. 259 cases imported.” -"

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  • 2023-04-20

    95

    points

    Wine Advocate, April 2023

    "The 2007 Brut Blanc de Blancs Blanc des Millénaires is the seventh opus of this vintage after the 1983, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2004 and 2006 vintages. This 100% Chardonnay exhales aromas of candied lemon, lemon oil, spring flowers, ripe orchard fruits and hints of pastry. The palate is coated and fleshy, rich and dense, with racy acids and a chalky, penetrating finish. Hide bottles for seven to eight years."

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  • 2022-12-15

    97

    points

    Wine Enthusiast, December 2022

    "Cellar Selection"

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  • 2022-11-07

    94

    points

    Jeb Dunnuck, November 2022

    "The 2007 Champagne Blanc de Millenaires is floral with honeysuckle, fresh pear, and fresh pastry. The palate fills with fresh Meyer lemon, green apple, and has a soft yet linear mineral feel. Drink 2023-2043."

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  • 2022-03-14

    96

    points

    Decanter, March 2022

    "Seven up for Charles Heidsieck; the seventh release of their magnificent Blanc des Millénaires Champagne, the 2007. Their charismatic chef de caves, Cyril Brun, describes the wine as ‘dangerous’, as in dangerously good, and it is hard not to concur. The legendary Daniel Thibault, who made the first Blanc des Millénaires in 1983, was aspiring to make a very specific style of Chardonnay, rich and indulgent at the same time as being classical and rigorous of construction, a deft paradox in other words. The 2007, child of a cooler, more linear vintage than the rather heady 2006, has achieved this ambition with great aplomb. Cyril is confident that stylistically the 2007 will be closest to the 2004 and the 1995, both greatly lauded and both of which have had an unfailing capacity to win virtually every competition into which they are entered. The pale gold shimmers invitingly, its mousse discreet yet persistent, its aromatics hitherto dominated by notes of grapefruit, yuzu, citrus and quince, behind that sourdough, flint-stone and intimations of toast and honey, both of which will become more pronounced over the splendours of a long life. 20% each of five great villages, all but Vertus ranked as Grand Cru, have provided the raw materials for this most magisterial of Blanc de Blancs Champagnes. Dosed at 7.3g/L (the lowest ever at Charles) and disgorged in July 2021, with a smart new bottle design."

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  • 2021-12-01

    96

    points

    James Suckling, December 2021

    "Intense oyster-shell and candied-lemon aromas pull you into this very elegant champagne, which is so precise on the sleek and focused palate with a finish of crystalline purity and brightness. Still really youthful, thanks to the uplifting freshness! A Blanc de Blancs from 5 top Crus in the Côte des Blancs. Drink or hold."

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  • 2021-11-01

    95

    points

    James Suckling, November 2021

    "Rippling with ripe stone-fruit and citrus aromas, plus notes of buttered toast and chalk, this is both powerful and mouthwatering, with enough structure to carry its imposing stature. The lemony finish is at once creamy and saline. A Blanc de Blancs from 5 top Crus in the Côte des Blancs. Drink now."

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  • 2020-12-15

    96

    points

    Wine Spectator, December 2020

    "A textbook blanc de blancs in a relatively opulent style, with ample grilled nut, brioche and spice character alongside classic flavors of poached apricot, kumquat, oyster shell and lemon blossom. This rich profile is well-defined by racy acidity, sleek and well-cut, driving the long, lacy finish. A beauty. Drink now through 2035. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 4,500 cases made, 185 cases imported."

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  • 2020-12-15

    96

    points

    Wine Spectator, December 2020

    "A textbook blanc de blancs in a relatively opulent style, with ample grilled nut, brioche and spice character alongside classic flavors of poached apricot, kumquat, oyster shell and lemon blossom. This rich profile is well-defined by racy acidity, sleek and well-cut, driving the long, lacy finish. A beauty. Drink now through 2035. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 4,500 cases made, 185 cases imported."

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  • 2020-12-01

    98

    points

    Wine Enthusiast, December 2020

    "Cellar Selection. This is an iteration of a legendary Champagne. Perfectly balanced, still packed with white fruit but just touching nuttiness, the wine is at its peak. Celebrating one of the great Champagne vintages of this century, this wine is totally memorable and magnificent."

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  • 2019-04-30

    95

    points

    Wine Advocate, April 2019

    "Disgorged in November 2017 after 13 years on the lees, the stunning 2004 Blanc des Millénaires is a worthy successor to the 1995. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of green apple, pear, brioche and fresh pastry that are framed by a lovely smoky, autolytic top note, the wine is full-bodied, ample and concentrated, with ripe acids, superb depth at the core and a textural, vinous quality while remaining very classical in profile. The finish is long and expansive. A blend of Chardonnay from Cramant, Avize, Oger, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Vertus, it saw nine grams per liter dosage. This is a terrific blanc de blancs from Charles Heidsieck that has a long and glorious future ahead of it. Sadly, the price of this cuvée has finally caught up with the quality."

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  • 2018-10-17

    95

    points

    Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, October 2018

    "A seamless Champagne, showing a texture of raw silk, this weaves vibrant acidity with an expressive range of glazed apple and poached white cherry fruit flavors, with pickled ginger and saffron spice details and rich notes of pastry cream, toast and coffee liqueur. More about finesse than power, this is long and creamy on the mineral-tinged finish. Drink now through 2028"

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  • 2019-08-30

    96

    points

    Wine Advocate, August 2019

    "Drunk from a bottle that was disgorged in 2016, the 1995 Blanc des Millenaires continues to show very well, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of waxy citrus rind, dried pear, walnut oil, warm bread and fresh pastry. On the palate, it's full-bodied, enveloping and chalky, with a rich and muscular core, lively acids and a long, precise finish. Impeccably balanced, this is a cuvée I have drunk on many occasions and which used to be well-represented in my own cellar, but this is as good a bottle as I have ever encountered. In the plenitude of full-maturity, now is a great time to pop corks."

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  • 2016-06-30

    95+

    points

    Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate, June 2016

    "Deep, pure and fresh on the fruit-intense and complex nose, the 1995 Blanc des Millenaires is still young and incredibly fresh on the palate. This is refreshingly pure, concentrated, fruity and perfectly round Champagne that reveals a great tension and mineral complexity. It also has a long and salty finish. Keep it for ten or 20 years."

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  • 20151201

    93

    points

    Josh Greene, Wine & Spirits, December 2015

    "This luxurious blend from the Cote des Blancs is gaining maturity, though it's still fresh enough that the flavors have the taste of a ripe white peach.  The bubbles are fine, the flavors touched by vanilla and cream.  A broad, luscious Champagne to make fried chicken festive."

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  • 20151001

    95

    points

    Antonio Galloni, Vinous, October 2015

    "The 1995 Brut Blanc des Millenaires shows just how compelling this often overlooked vintage can be. Layers of lemon, pastry spices, crushed rocks and savory herbs literally jump from the glass in this exquisite, perfumed, beautifully delineated Champagne. The 1995 shows lovely flavor complexity and nuance from its extended time in bottle, yet it also retains plenty of freshness, verve and acidity. This is a great showing from Charles Heidsieck. The 1995 was made before the tenure of the house's current team, headed by CEO Cécile Bonnefond. It will be very interesting to see what develops at this historic property over the coming years."

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  • 20150916

    95

    points

    Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, September 2015

    "A mouthwatering Champagne, refined and satiny in texture, with a citrusy overtone to the flavors of apricot preserves, toasted hazelnut and brioche, crystallized honey and fleur de sel. Presents a lasting, smoke- and spice-filled finish. Drink now through 2025."

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  • 20150710

    93

    points

    Nick Stock, James Suckling, July 2015

    "A wine with some impressive deep-set complexity. Very toasty, sweet, caramelized lemon and grapefruit aromas plus a wealth of grilled hazelnuts and sweet-smelling spicy accents too. The palate's smoky, savory and has sherry-like nutty aged characters. The thread runs long through the finish, and slightly dried citrus fruits fade slowly in a nutty afterglow with a candied lime finish. A truly mature Champagne. Drink now."

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TRADE & MEDIA ASSETS /////////////////

Charles Heidsieck – Brand – Sell Sheet

Charles Heidsieck – B Corp – Sell Sheet

2007 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires – 94 points, Wine Spectator – Sell Sheet

2007 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires – 94 points, Wine Spectator – Shelftalker

2007 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires – 97 points – Wine Enthusiast, December 2022 – Sell Sheet

2007 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Tasting Notes

2006 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires – 95 points – James Suckling, November 2021 – Sell Sheet

Charles Heidsieck – 1995 Blanc des Millénaires – Bottle

2006 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Label

2006 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Tasting Notes

2004 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Label

2004 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Vintage Notes

2004 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – WS95 – Sales Sheet

Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Non-Vintage – Bottle

1995 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Sales Sheet

1995 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Shelftalker

1995 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Tasting Notes

1995 Charles Heidsieck – Blanc des Millénaires – Label

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