2018 Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Rose Millesime, Champagne

Rich and delicious with sliced-strawberry and pie-crust aromas and flavors with hints of cooked butter. Full-bodied with layers of fruit and fine bubbles. More like a delicate red on the palate. Pinot noir from Bouzy and chardonnay mostly from Vertus. Dosage 9 g/L. Drink now.

95 points jamessuckling.com

The 2018 Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Rosé Millésimé is a luxurious and finely structured vintage Champagne that embodies the house’s signature depth, precision, and elegance. It represents the perfect balance between the expressive fruit of Pinot Noir and the finesse of Chardonnay, crafted from select Grand and Premier Cru vineyards across the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, and Côte des Blancs.

The blend is composed of roughly 63% Pinot Noir (including 9% still red wine from Les Riceys for colour and complexity) and 37% Chardonnay. The 2018 vintage, characterised by generous ripeness and superb balance, produced wines of striking purity and richness. After fermentation, the rosé spent more than four years ageing on lees in the historic chalk cellars beneath Reims, gaining texture, harmony, and aromatic depth.

In the glass it gleams a delicate copper-rose with a fine, persistent mousse. The aroma is beautifully layered, showing wild strawberry, raspberry, and blood orange alongside brioche, almond, and subtle spice. The palate is elegant yet powerful, combining red fruit intensity with creamy texture and chalky minerality. Notes of pink grapefruit, cherry, and pastry lead to a long, precise finish that lingers with freshness and poise.

It pairs wonderfully with duck breast, tuna tartare, charcuterie, or roasted quail, and also complements aged cheeses or desserts featuring red fruit. While radiant now, it will continue to evolve gracefully over the next fifteen years, gaining richness and complexity with time.