Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 2007

Born of a cool growing season, the 2007 Blanc de Blancs Blanc des Millénaires, disgorged in 2023, opens in the glass with aromas of white peach, lemon confit, blanched almonds and buttered pastry, mingled with notes of quince and subtle roasted nuances. Medium-bodied and pillowy, the palate is animated by racy acidity and structured around chalky extract, culminating in a long, saline finish. Somewhat leaner in profile, it does not appear to possess the concentration displayed by the cuvée’s finest renditions.

Also tasted last year, the 2007 Champagne Blanc De Millénaires is the cuvée that features Chardonnay from the Côtes De Blancs, with five crus represented in the blend. Pouring a bright yellow straw hue, it’s expressive with a floral profile on opening and is rounded and balanced on the palate, with layered refinement to its lovely notes of fresh Meyer lemon, candied citrus, and fresh croissant, an elegant, rounded mousse, a chalky texture, and a floral finish that lasts long on the palate. 8 grams per liter dosage. This is the second release of disgorgement, with this one being disgorged in 2023, where the previous release had been disgorged in 2021.One of the notable changes of the guard this year took place at Charles Heidsieck with the departure of Chef de Cave Cyril Brun, who passed the torch to Elise Losfelt, who had spent the past ten years working across the Moet & Chandon empire. During his seven-year tenure, Mr. Brun had been bold in taking the house into its next chapter by making advancements in the winery while also paying homage to the house's history. First, he reintroduced old vinification principles of only using old barrels. He also began trials right away in 2015 to bring back the Champagne Charlie Cuvée, with the first edition, the 2017, just released into the market last year. Champagne Charlie was always labeled as a vintage wine, but it is now known to have been a blended style heavily reliant on reserve wines. The last release of the cuvée was the 1985 “vintage,” and the current release date coincides with Charles-Camille Heidsieck’s bicentennial. Brun had also implemented the use of jetting technique at disgorgement for oxygen management, the idea being to expose the wine early to oxygen, and then to close it in order to best preserve the wine’s longevity and freshness. He also expanded the range of cuvées while honoring previous cuvées. 2018 brought the relaunch of the Blanc de Blancs, a blended style from ten crus from different years, with the initial release base coming from the 2016 vintage.

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.