Charles Heidsieck is set to release revamped expressions of Brut Reserve & Rosé Reserve

Champagne Charles Heidsieck is set to release revamped expressions of its Brut Reserve and Rosé Reserve variants in the U.S. next month. The “newly refined” Charles Heidsieck Brut ($65) and Rosé ($80) are made from equal proportions Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Both are aged for more than three years and are packaged in newly designed bottles made in the shape of magnums. The new Brut and Rosé offerings’ labels are a recreation of a 1926 vintage label found on bottles in Charles Heidsieck’s cellars in Reims. Rémy Cointreau USA serves as Charles Heidsieck’s U.S. importer.

Source:  Shanken

TOP CHAMPAGNES IN BUSINESS AND FIRST CLASS – announced last month at The Business Traveller Cellars in the Sky Awards

The Business Traveller Cellars in the Sky Awards have been running since 1985, with a record number of 36 airlines taking part this year. Blind tastings took place over two days on November 4 and 5 at the Grosvenor House, London, with five judges independently scoring. The judges included:

• Charles Metcalfe, TV wine presenter and co-chairman of the
International Wine Challenge;

• Sam Harrop, Master of Wine and winemaking consultant;

• Derek Smedley, Master of Wine for more than 40 years,
consultant and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge;

• Peter McCombie, Master of Wine, accredited tutor for the Wine and
Spirit Education Trust and consultant; and

• John Worontschak, leading winemaker and wine business development
consultant.

Business Class Sparkling

1. Qatar Airways – Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle 1996;

2. Etihad – Henriot Blanc Souverain;

3. and
4. (JOINT) British Airways, Qantas and Singapore Airlines –
Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve AND LAN – Louis Roederer Brut Premier; and

5. Jet Airways – Dom Pérignon 2002.

First Class Sparkling

1. Qantas – Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1999;

2. United Airlines – Henriot Brut Millésimé 1996;

3. (JOINT) Qatar Airways, All Nippon Airways and Cathay Pacific –
Krug Grande Cuvée;

4. Thai Airways – Bollinger 1999; and

5. Malaysia Airlines and Jet Airways – Dom Pérignon 2002.

Participating Airlines:

Aer Lingus, Aegean Airlines, Air Astana, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Alitalia, American Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, El Al, Etihad, Emirates, Finnair, Gulf Air, Iberia, Jet Airways, Kenya Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Korean Air, LAN, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, South African Airways, TAM, Thai Airways and United Airlines.

Liz Palmer

Champagne Expert Coming To New Zealand To Share Secrets

Communications Director for Piper-Heidsieck, Christian Holthausen is coming to New Zealand to educate New Zealanders on the art of serving and drinking champagne.

The American-born champagne expert divides his time between Maison Piper-Heidsieck in Reims, France and traveling the four corners of the world sharing his knowledge of champagne production, history and culture.

Mr Holthausen represents two of the most prestigious champagne brands in the world, Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck, both blended by Chef de Caves Régis Camus, awarded the “Sparkling Winemaker of the Year” trophy by London’s International Wine Challenge in 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Piper-Heidsieck has been producing champagne since 1785. Known for its extravagance and style, Piper-Heidsieck was the preferred champagne of Marie-Antoinette at the Royal Court of Versailles. and Marilyn Monroe who once famously declared that she started each morning with a glass of Piper-Heidsieck. Over the years, Piper-Heidsieck has worked with some of the biggest names in fashion and design, from Jean-Paul Gaultier to Jaime Hayon to Viktor + Rolf to most recently, Christian Louboutin.

Not one to be ignored, Charles Heidsieck has a rich history in its own right and is widely recognized as one of the most critically acclaimed champagnes by the most discriminating juries.

Few New Zealanders know that Robert Falcon Scott left Christchurch with several cases of Charles Heidsieck with him on his ill-fated journey to the South Pole in 1910, or that Queen Elizabeth II was served Charles Heidsieck by President Eisenhower on her first official visit to the United States after her coronation in 1952.

Mr Holthausen says he is looking forward to sharing his passion for the Champagne region -“Champagne is one of the most spectacular wines in the world, albeit one that needs to be demystified. It is perfect on so many occasions, from the simplest to the most extravagant,” says Mr Holthausen.

During his stay in New Zealand, Mr Holthausen will be hosting an exclusive Champagne Master Class before traveling around the country as part of the Hancocks Winemakers Tour, revealing some of the secrets of champagne to the nation’s top wine trade.