New Stocks. Price £95.00. The limited edition Armchair gift set features specially designed glassware branded with Champagne Charlie designs of a monocle and bow tie on one flute and a top hat and moustache on the other. Introduction: The House has, for a long time, been infused with the liveliness and the spirit of the Chardonnay, as the vintage 1906 Le Mesnil attests. After the Second World War, both the vintage and non-vintage Blanc de Blancs became part of the House range. It seems only natural for the House to once again find its inspiration in this varietal. Charles Heidsieck was one of the very first Champagne Houses to demonstrate its passion for Chardonnay by producing a Blanc de Blancs in its 1949 vintage. Through this cuvée, relaunched in 2018, two of the House’s areas of expertise come together: the production of great white wines and the art of blending a large selection of wines from different years and terroirs.The considerable challenge is to make opposites coexist: the tautness and the freshness of young chardonnays on the one hand, and the silky “Charles” character on the other. Tasting Notes: A pale, crystalline gold colour with the typical glints of the Chardonnay varietal. On the nose the aromas of mature Chardonnay can be recognised initially: white peach, candied citrus with notes of lime, honeysuckle and fresh hazelnut, giving way to subtle hints of tangerine and lemon. In the mouth freshness and tautness mark this typically Charles generosity: the attack is pure and forthright, not aggressive but almost unconventionally suave for a Blanc de Blancs, so often characterised as being sharp rather than creamy. The harmonious finish offers surprising minerality and a slight salinity. Blend: This non-vintage re-edition of Charles Heidsieck’s Blanc de Blancs is a blend of 80% wines produced from the harvest of 2012 (100% Chardonnay) and 20% réserves that have been aged, on average, for 5 years. It combines several crus, the majority from Côte des Blancs (Oger, Vertus), to which Villers-Marmery, Trépail, Vaudemange and Montgueux are added in a proportion of 10g/l. To be enjoyed: within 7 years. Presentation: The bottle shape is redolent of Charles Heidsieck’s Crayère number 9. The green bottle, unusual today for a Blanc de Blancs, was selected to protect the wine from the light and guarantee the best conditions for ageing. Background Information: Charles Heidsieck is one of most admired Champagne houses thanks to the unrivalled and consistently high quality of its wines. The current range is one of the most awarded collections of wines in the world, something underlined when Chef de Cave Thierry Roset was named ‘Sparkling Winemaker of the Year’ at the International Wine Challenge this year. This was the 15th time that Charles Heidsieck’s winemaking team had won this award, but the first for Thierry, who has been working at the house since 1988. He took over the reins in 2012, having worked with both the great Régis Camus and the legendary Daniel Thibault. This winemaking legacy, paired with the house’s flamboyant history since its foundation in 1851 by the man who would become known as ‘Champagne Charlie’, makes it a unique offering from Champagne: a house with great wines, champagne heritage and proven quality throughout its range. Charles Heidsieck have built exceptional relationships with the most experienced growers across the Champagne region, and can draw on a rich palette of crus. Precise selection of grapes takes place from 60 specific sites. Vineyards which are integral to producing grapes which build the house style are Oger for Chardonnay for its texture, floral notes and ageing ability, Ambonnay for Pinot Noir for its power, vinosity and fruit, and Verneuil for Pinot Meunier for its acidity, body and aromatics.