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Friday, December 10, 2021

1987 Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Privée MEC

 

Special thanks to Dr. Jim Wheatley for sharing two jeroboams of this rare champagne at our Cru Holiday gathering!

Producer notes: The Charles Heidsieck Cellars are a Unesco World Heritage site and comprise more than eight kilometres of chalk tunnels interlinking forty seven subterranean cathedrals called Crayères, reaching 30 metres high and believed to have been dug out in the 3rd century.


Jeroboam's are fantastic, the ageing slows right down, this large bottle of NV or as Charles call them "mis en cave" part of Charles Heidsieck Collection Crayeres, a second late release of vintages direct from their cellars in Reims in November 2020. The releases are very limited quantities & a perfect chance to buy & enjoy champagne with age in its very best condition. This is the fourth time of an annual “Collection Crayeres” release & honours five of the oldest vintage & non-vintages & showcases their exceptional capacity for withstanding time, their incredible aromatic opulence capacity & their structure after several decades of cellaring.

Mis En Cave is a name for the concept of NV the “Charles way” whereby the Champagne is 'laid in cellar' in the spring after the harvest. Charles Heidsieck have released several bottles Mis En Cave 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2008 Each of these bottles contains the non-vintage wine with the base vintage of the year before. Mis en Cave 1987 is the same as saying it is a NV from the dominant vintage 1986!

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru
Grape Varieties: 46% Pinot Noir, 38% Chardonnay, 16% Meunier
Mis En Cave: 1987 or NV based on 1986
Disgorged: 2020
Lees ageing: 33 years!
Drink: Now to 2040+

Just 87 Jeroboams exist!

Producer Tasting Note: Golden with green glints. Strong toasty smokey notes combining with candied ginger and roasted peanuts with an amazing spread of fruits, loads of tropical like pineapple and dried apricots. Amazingly fresh and structured palate, there is no hurry with these Jeroboams, they have decades of life ahead.

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