Do we ship to you?.
More wines available from Charles Heidsieck
750ml
Bottle:
$48.40
Rated 94 - A pale hue in the glass, this has a savory nose that delivers a very nicely struck toasty edge with chalky...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$68.95
Rated 97 - A seductive toasty, ginger and Seville orange nose; plenty of character, plenty of weight and so much...
750ml
Bottle:
$79.94
$80.70
Rated 97 - A seductive toasty, ginger and Seville orange nose; plenty of character, plenty of weight and so much...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$189.95
Rated 98 - This is an iteration of a legendary Champagne. Perfectly balanced, still packed with white fruit but just...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$199.94
Rated 98 - This is an iteration of a legendary Champagne. Perfectly balanced, still packed with white fruit but just...
More Details
Winery
Charles Heidsieck
Vintage: 2008
2008 saw very high yields across wineries in much of the southern hemisphere, as a result of highly favorable climatic conditions. Although in many areas, these high yields brought with them something of a drop in overall quality, this could not be said for South Australia's wines, which were reportedly excellent. Indeed, the 2008 Shiraz harvest in South Australia is said to be one of the most successful in recent decades, and western Australia's Chardonnays are set to be ones to watch out for. New Zealand's Pinot Noir harvest was also very good, with wineries in Martinborough reportedly very excited about this particular grape and the characteristics it revealed this year.
Pinot Noir also grew very well in the United States, and was probably the most successful grape varietal to come out of California in 2008, with Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley delivering fantastic results from this grape. Elsewhere in United States, Washington State and Oregon had highly successful harvests in 2008 despite some early worries about frost.
However, it was France who had the best of the weather and growing conditions in 2008, and this year was one of the great vintages for Champagne, the Médoc in Bordeaux, Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence, with Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes leading the way. Italy, too, shared many of these ideal conditions, with the wineries in Tuscany claiming that their Chianti Classicos of 2008 will be ones to collect, and Piedmont's Barberesco and Barolo wines will be recognized as amongst the finest of the past decade.
Varietal: Champagne Blend
Whilst Champagne sparkling wines are most commonly made with a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grape varietals, there are actually seven fine grape varietals allowed by French wine law for inclusion in the wines of this region. These include Arbanne, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and and Petit Meslier alongside the others, although these four are being used less and less in the modern age. Champagnes are normally blended wines, although the popularity of single variety 'blanc de blanc' Champagnes made solely with Chardonnay grapes, and 'blanc de noir' wines made only with Pinot Noir varietal grapes are becoming more and more popular. The blending process found in most Champagnes aims to take the finest points of each grape varietal and bring them together to produce spectacular, strong yet balanced results in the bottle.
Region: Champagne
There are very few wine regions in the world quite as famous as Champagne, and the sparkling white wines which are produced there are drank and enjoyed all over the globe as a result of their excellent quality, distinctive features and their association with grandeur and celebration. Wineries have been operating in the cool, damp north-easterly region of Champagne for hundreds of years, and over time have mastered the art of making the most of the Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Petit Meunier grape varietals which grow there across the rolling hillsides and kept in the region's unique 'Champagne caves'. Most commonly, these three varietals are blended together to produce the sparkling white wine, but the popularity of single variety Champagne wines are on the increase.
Country: France
France is renowned across the globe for its quality wines and the careful expertise which goes into making them, but what is truly remarkable about this relatively small country is the vast range of wines it produces in such huge amounts each year. Not only are the finest red wines in the world said to come from the beautiful regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, but elsewhere in the country we find the Champagne region, and areas such as the Rhone Valley and the Loire, whose white wines consistently receive awards and accolades by the plenty. This range is a result of the great variety of climatic conditions and terrain found in France, coupled with generations of wine makers working within single appellations. Their knowledge of specific terroirs and grape varieties has, over time, perfected the production of wines within their region, and the end results continue to impress the world to this day.