What is to be said of a champagne that, when first consumed, several years before its prime, strikes one as near perfect, then, several years later, when tasted again is even better! I am speaking not in hypotheticals, but of Charles Heidsieck’s Blanc des Millenaires 1995, and as superb as it is now, I believe it still has room to improve. This wine has been a stand out for me for several years, and when a client recently inquired as to a recommendation for a great champagne this immediately came to mind, but I was absolutely sure there would no longer be any available; miraculously I was wrong and, while the prices have gone up a bit, it can still be readily had.
The light fruits really stand out in this champagne, with pear taking center stage, followed by a crisp apple; the yeast flavors are not heavy and overbearing but more rich and toasty. The bubbles, oh, the bubbles, are among the finest I ever encountered, being small and nimble, and the entire drinking experience is what I dream of every time I pop a cork on a bottle of champagne.
The Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995 will probably require an effort to track down, but trust me, if you are looking for a memorable champagne that will absolutely wow the senses this is it, and it will be worth every bit of labor put into aquiring the bottle the moment those perfect bubbles role gracefully across the lips.
NeoOpulence 