Region: Champagne, France

Varietal: 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 20% Meunier

Tasting notes: Remarkable depth of mature aromas - tons of candied lemon peel, dried pear and brioche - plus wonderful textural richness on the palate make this stand out amongst the regular Brut NVs. Then comes the intense and very long, mineral finish to crown this prince of the category. One of the best value grandes marques on the market, a blend of 60 crus.

Producer: From the very start, the wines of Charles Heidsieck managed to seduce the royal courts of Europe. Today, the House’s wines are awarded the highest accolades by professional juries across the world. The quantity of medals and trophies regularly earned by Charles Heidsieck is simply extraordinary. The winemaking team has been awarded the “Winemaker of the Year” trophy nine times by the UK International Wine Challenge. Régis Camus joined Charles Heidsieck in 1994 and has been the head winemaker of the House since 2002. This meticulous and passionate professional likes to keep an eye on everything: the state of the vineyards, the selection of the grapes, their pressing and their vinification, cru by cru, in individual vats. His mission is to perpetuate the Charles Heidsieck style, reflecting the richness of the Champagne region.

Vineyard and Winemaking: Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.