This Is Charles Heidsieck: The Champagne House Whose Story Inspired a Hugh Grant Movie!
Of the many great houses in the world of champagne, even fewer sport the label of Grande Marque. The term Grande Marque ( or 'Great Brand') is a sort of quality assurance title, given to houses that have particularly positive international brand awareness, reputation and customer loyalty.
The house of Charles Heidsieck is one such house. Founded by a celebrated ambassador of Champagne, its tales range from being intertwined with the American Civil War, to having cellars that date back to the Gallo-Roman period. Amidst a history so dramatic and filled with plot twists you could have sworn it was the plot of a movie, Charles Heidsieck has emerged as of the best-known producers for both vintage and non-vintage cuvée.
This is Charles Heidsieck, and here's what you need to know about this Champagne House!
The House Was Founded By A Man Called "Champagne Charlie", Whose Exploits Were Even Portrayed by Hugh Grant in a Film!
Born in 1822, Charles Heidsieck was a descendant of a prominent Reims winemaking family. His father, Charles-Henri Heidsieck, was a renowned Champagne merchant famous for his daring feat of riding into Moscow on a white stallion just before Napoleon's army. Additionally, Charles Heidsieck was the nephew of Florens-Louis Heidsieck, a co-founder of the Champagne house that would later become Piper-Heidsieck.
In 1851, at the age of 29, he established his own champagne house, naming it after himself. Heidsieck first began exporting his champagne to Belgium and England, marking the beginning of his international success.
However, while his contemporaries focused on the Russian market, Heidsieck ventured to New York and New England in 1852, captivating American high society with his flamboyant personality.
His success in the US solidified Champagne's place in American culture and earned him the nickname "Champagne Charlie." His remarkable story was even adapted into a 1989 Canadian TV film starring Hugh Grant.
The American Civil War Almost Ruined The House
It's not exactly what you'd expect to hear, but Charles Heidsieck was pushed the the brink of ruin when he unwittingly got involved in the Civil War.
You see, when the American Civil War erupted in 1861, it spelt financial doom for the company as a substantial portion of his company's assets were tied up in unpaid accounts.
Heidsieck quickly traveled to America, but upon his arrival, he learned that a new US law had been passed, absolving Northerners from having to pay for cotton from Southern creditors. Oddly enough, this also affected Heidsieck, which meant his sales agent chose not to settle the debt to Heidsieck.
The only alternative for Heidsieck was to seek repayment directly from the merchants that received the Champagne in Kansas. Even then, there was only one merchant that could offer payment in the form of cotton. Accepting the cotton as payment, he hoped to smuggle two ships through a port blockade, but that failed spectacularly when both boats were sunk.
That wasn't the end of his woes, however. He soon found himself stuck in America, with no direct way to get back to Europe. Heidsieck went to New Orleans and attempted to charter a boat to Mexico or Cuba in hopes of making it back to Europe.
To facilitate his journey, a French Consul in Alabama provided Charles Heidsieck with a diplomatic pouch to deliver to the consulate in New Orleans. Problem was, the pouch had certain sensitive documents detailing aid to the Confederate army.
When he arrived in the Union-controlled city, he was promptly charged with spying and imprisoned in Fort Jackson, Louisiana. His imprisonment actually led to a diplomatic incident between France and the US (known as the Heidsieck incident). The French government, including Napoleon III, even had to intervene to secure his release.
After months of imprisonment, Heidsieck was finally released on November 16, 1862. His ordeal had taken a significant toll on his health and finances, forcing him to return to France demoralized and bankrupt.
A Stroke of Luck That Saved the House
In early 1863, a stroke of luck came Charles Heidsieck's way. An American missionary presented him with a packet of land deeds.
Apparently, the brother of his former sales agent in America was ashamed of how his brother cheated Heidsieck out of his obligations, and decided to pay Heidsieck back. These deeds, it turned out, represented a significant portion of land in Denver, Colorado, a city set for rapid growth.
With this unexpected fortune, Heidsieck was able to not only repay his debts but also revitalize his Champagne house. His timely investment in Denver real estate proved to be a pivotal moment in the history of Maison Heidsieck, allowing it to re-establish itself as a leading Champagne producer.
Charles Heidsieck Prides Itself In Using A Higher-Than-Average Amount Of Reserves In Its Cuvées
If nothing else, the house has late cellar master Daniel Thibaut to thank for this special feature.
He would decide on the sacrifice of short-term sales in order to build up a sizeable stockpile of reserve wines. Thibaut's insistence on using 40 per cent reserve wines in each NV cuvée was staggering when compared to the industry average of 10-12 per cent.
Moreover, he sourced reserve wines from a diverse range of vintages, spanning 7-8 years.He also introduced the mis en cave concept, whereby the label of the NV Brut Reserve would display the years that the cuvée was put into the cellar for its second fermentation, aging, and when it was disgorged.
The House Is a Master of Selection And Blending
Charles Heidsieck is a house that is focused on selecting, blending and ageing wines to produce higher quality champagnes. It owns 75 hectares of vineyards in the Marne and Aube departments, all of which contribute to the production of its Champagnes. The House also sources from local winegrowers and cooperatives to ensure a consistent supply of high-quality grapes.
In particular, former cellar master Thierry Roset, significantly refined the house's style by focusing on sourcing grapes from the finest 60 crus, prioritizing Ambonnay for Pinot Noir, Oger for Chardonnay, and Verneuil for Meunier.
Additionally, he increased the average age of reserve wines for the Brut Réserve NV to an impressive 10 years.
What Wines Does The House Have?
The most accessible of the Charles Heidsieck range would be the classic NV Brut Reserve. It is typically composed of 40 per cent Chardonnay, 40 per cent Pinot Noir and 20 per cent Pinot Meunier.
They also have a Rosé, the NV Rosé. It is composed of 36 per cent Pinot Noir, 36 per cent Chardonnay and 28 per cent Pinot Meunier, and is widely considered one of Champagne's best value rosés.
The most premium of the house's wines would be the vintage releases of the Brut and Rosé, as well as the prestige cuvée, Blanc de Millénaires.
Only five vintages have been released to date: 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2012.
Charles Heidsieck's Cellars Are Located Within A Network of Chalk Mines Dating Back to the 3rd Century
The house boasts a cellar within a network of historic chalk mines dating back to the 3rd century. These subterranean cathedrals provide the perfect environment for aging Champagne, presenting an environment with ideal amounts of humidity and temperature control.
The crayeres comprise more than eight kilometres of galleries, stretching up to thirty metres below ground. It is here that several million bottles are aged, ranging from a minimum of four years, up to a whopping 40 years.
In 2015, the crayeres were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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Lok Bing Hong A budding journalist that loves experiencing new things and telling people's stories. I have 30 seconds of irresponsibly sanctimonious brilliance a day. I do not decide when they come. They are not consecutive. |
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