Glass toasts to 200 years of Charles Heidsieck at The Ritz

CHARLES Heidsieck is a Champagne house that is famous for producing a selection of wonderful vintage and non-vintage cuvée, and this year it celebrates the 200th anniversary of its founder, Charles-Camille Heidsieck. As part of their ‘Champagne of the Month’ programme, The Ritz has aptly selected Charles Heidsieck to be served to guests this summer. 

Bicentennial celebrations call for something special. The Champagne house has done just that by releasing its first new release in 37 years, which happened to be the iconic historic cuvée, Champagne Charlie. So I took a trip to The Ritz to toast to the occasion. At 5:30 pm, the post-work rush is chaotic at Green Park but non-existent as soon as you step through the doors of The Ritz. My guest and I were led through the building, walking to the sound of the piano, before being shown into the garden area. 

Pistachio-coloured chairs and cream parasols give the garden a chic Parisian feel, and it’s almost hard to believe we were sitting parallel to the main road. 

A blue menu was handed to us, featuring a selection of several Charles Heidsieck cuveìes, but the one catching our attention was the Cuveìe Champagne Charlie, which is exclusive to the UK. Customers can enjoy it by the glass for £75 or enjoy a bottle for just over £550. We opted for two glasses and enjoyed a selection of olives and nuts which came served in perfectly polished silver dishes. 

The iconic Champagne Charlie bottle

Our server returned with the bottle and began to prise the stopper open, causing it to release a gentle gas. This bottle is particularly exciting as it is only the sixth release in the history of Champagne Charlie, following 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1985. 

The first thing I noticed was the Champagne’s deep golden hue in the glass. A combination of 52% chardonnay and 48% pinot noir gives it a bold aroma, but in the mouth, it is balanced beautifully with flavours of tropic fruit followed by a soft minerality. 

Charles Heidsieck is a Champagne house that evokes a sense of glamour and luxury and nothing solidifies its ethos more than enjoying a glass of Champagne Charlie at The Ritz on a warm summer’s day.

by Katrina Mirpuri

Champagne Charlie is available from hedonism.co.uk and thefinestbubble.com, priced at £550.

The Ritz will be the only place in the UK to exclusively serve Cuveìe Champagne Charlie by the glass (£75).

charlesheidsieck.com

 

About The Author

Glass Music Editor

Related Posts