Description
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Magnum NV 1.5L is the same non-vintage Champagne as the house’s standard Brut Reserve, in a magnum holding the equivalent of two 750ml bottles. It comes from Reims and blends Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from about 60 crus, supported by older reserve wines. The magnum format makes it a practical choice for a shared table.
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Allow plenty of time to chill the larger bottle, then serve at 8 to 10°C in tulip glasses. Try a whole roast chicken, a platter of cured meats and hard cheeses, or baked ham with mustard.
- 1.5L magnum, equal to two 750ml bottles
- Blend of about 60 crus across three grapes
- Reserve wines averaging about ten years old
The house’s founder made his name well beyond Reims. Charles-Camille Heidsieck started the business in 1851 at the age of 29, and within a year had sailed to the United States to sell his own wine, picking up the nickname Champagne Charlie along the way. In 1867 he acquired the Gallo-Roman chalk quarries beneath Reims, and those crayères remain the house’s cellars and are now UNESCO listed.
Brut Reserve depends on a large stock of older wine. Reserve wines averaging about ten years in age are combined with the base year, which adds pastry and nutty depth that a young blend would not have. The wine then rests on its lees in the chalk, well past the 15-month legal minimum. Three sites anchor the blend, namely Oger for Chardonnay, Ambonnay for Pinot Noir and Verneuil for Pinot Meunier. In a magnum, those same qualities reach a larger table without opening a second bottle.
Expect pastry and brioche with ripe apricot, mango, dried fruit and toasted nuts. The silky palate brings melon and plum alongside soft spice, with freshness keeping the finish lively.
Well suited to a long lunch or a shared dinner where one bottle needs to go further around the table.
