Champagne Charlie

Champagne Charlie: A Tribute to Tradition

Everyone knows about the genie inside the lamp. You rub the lamp, and the genie pops out. For the cuvée Champagne Charlie, the reverse was true: inspiration had to come from history, starting with the founder’s character, Charles Camille Heidsieck (1822–1893), to create a champagne wine worthy of representing him. In the late 1970s, Daniel Thibault would prove to be up to the challenge. This extremely gifted cellar master was the last to work with the founder’s family, still in charge of the business. When the family decided to pay tribute to its great ancestor, Daniel Thibault leveraged his long experience with Charles’ signature, which still resonates in the House almost a century following the founder’s death and followed his creator’s instinct to tackle what would be one of the most resounding successes in his career.

Inspiration and Innovation

Two ideas served as his inspiration; first, a freedom of spirit, a driving force in the founder’s life and perhaps one of the secrets behind his success in the United States. And second; the desire to elevate the quality of the House’s wines to the limit, much like an artist pushes the envelope in creating a masterpiece without ever betraying his talent - not by inventing, but by expressing the wines’ intrinsic qualities. His efforts led to five historic cuvées: 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985. For the commemoration of the bicentennial of Charles-Camille Heidsieck’s birth, the House has decided to relaunch this legendary champagne, 37 years after its first release. Charlie certainly deserves it.

A Masterpiece Reimagined

The genius is within the wine - the great art of blending - as rendered in Champagne. In crafting the new Champagne Charlie, previous cellar master Cyril Brun, interpreted the Founder’s spirit. Tasting through history, he notes “For this new edition of Charlie, I took my inspiration from previous editions, tasting each of the past releases to reconnect with the initial creation. My first impression was overwhelming; the freshness and aromatic intensity and silky saline finish could be systematically found in all the wines, as if these qualities transcended the effect of vintage. It was the key. This renaissance Charlie is a multi-vintage wine. This intentional use of reserve wines is also, for me, a symbol of a greater freedom of creation in this quest for the absolute."

Blend of Tradition and Innovation

The new Champagne Charlie cuvée is comprised of nearly 80% reserve wines, with select components aged on lees for up to 25 years. A blend of 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir, the assemblage also includes 20% wine from the 2016 vintage, cellared in 2017.