The success story of the house of Charles Heidsieck proves once again that Germans played a decisive role in the early days of Champagne winemaking. Florenz-Ludwig Heidsieck, a native of Westphalia, founded the first Champagne house under the name Heidsieck with the company name "Heidsieck & Sons" in 1775. Decades later, a certain Charles-Camille joined the company, but then founded the house Charles Heidsieck as early as 1851. And with skill and ingenuity Charles led the house into the top class of Champagne.
He himself became one of the most dazzling personalities in the history of Champagne, with great ambitions and visions. Since the claims in Europe were as good as taken, he travelled to America, which he considered the future of the Champagne market, and did some advertising on his own behalf. Soon Heidsieck Champagne was being drunk all over America.
He was affectionately called "Champagne Charly," and his sparkling wine became so popular that people would only order a glass or bottle of "Charles." Today, Charles Heidsieck is one of the highest-awarded Champagne houses anywhere, and its Champagnes are "top sellers" at comparative tastings.
No wonder, with the amount of work that is done here. The "Vins de Réserve" is aged for ten years, longer than in almost any other house. Up to 40 percent of them are included in the assemblage. The "Brut" without vintage leaves the house after three years of bottle storage, at the earliest.
The chalk cellars in which the precious bottles rest date back to the 3rd century and have a total length of eight kilometers. The vineyards are cultivated sustainably and certified.
Not only because of the strict selection of the grapes, but also because of the long maturation period of the reserve wines, the Champagnes of Charles Heidsieck always show themselves profound, smooth, with excellent balance and complex, thus still completely in accord with the vision of the legendary Charles Heidsieck.
