Under EPI ownership, Charles Heidsieck is planning to resurrect its prestige cuv\u00e9e called Champagne Charlie, which was axed in 1985 when R\u00e9my Martin bought the brand.<\/p>\n
Champagne Charlie was launched with the 1979 vintage, and was named after the founder of the house, Charles-Camille Heidsieck, known as Champagne Charlie.<\/p>\n
According Stephen Leroux, \u201cChampagne Charlie will come back\u201d\u2026 \u201cWe have made the wine, but it won\u2019t hit the market for 5-6 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Explaining why the prestige cuv\u00e9e was discontinued, he said that R\u00e9my stopped producing Champagne Charlie in 1985 after acquiring the house because the group included Krug, which was prioritized as the top-end Champagne in the stable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was Krug, Charles Heidsieck and Piper [Heidsieck], and Krug was the prestige Champagne, Piper the commercial one, and Charles was supposed to be the niche and good-value Champagne, but there was no focus on it,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n
While Krug was sold to LVMH in 1999, Charles and Piper were acquired by EPI in 2011, under the new owner both houses have been undergoing a repositioning as the company, which is 100% owned by the Descours family, is bringing the houses back to their former glory.<\/p>\n
But for those unable to wait for the rebirth of Champagne Charlie, Leroux said that the house is releasing historic vintages of the vintage-dated prestige cuv\u00e9e from its cellar.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the meantime we are selling some of the old Champagne Charlie from five vintages, \u201979, \u201981, \u201982, \u201983 and \u201985, and this will be under an oenoteque concept in very small quantities.\u201d<\/p>\n
The price of these late releases, some of which have already been disgorged, will range from \u00a3300 to \u00a3600 per bottle, according to Leroux, who also said that all late-releases direct from the Charles Heidsieck cellars would, from this year, receive a special label.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are coming up with new labelling for our older vintages, so whether it is Champagne Charlie, Blanc de Mill\u00e9naires, or Royal Cuv\u00e9e, there will be new packaging for these wines, which will be released in tiny quantities,\u201d he said. (Charles Heidsieck released a Royal Wedding Cuv\u00e9e to celebrate the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Under EPI ownership, Charles Heidsieck is planning to resurrect its prestige cuv\u00e9e called Champagne Charlie, which was axed in 1985 when R\u00e9my Martin bought the brand. Champagne Charlie was launched with the 1979 vintage, and was named after the founder of the house, Charles-Camille Heidsieck, known as Champagne Charlie. According…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-201711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t