Charles Heidsieck Champagne, founded in 1851, is a renowned brand from the Champagne region, belonging to the French luxury goods group EPI, along with the globally famous Piper-Heidsieck Champagne. As early as the 1980s, Charles Heidsieck Champagne enjoyed widespread acclaim. Napoleon Bonaparte even celebrated his victory at the end of a war with Charles Heidsieck Champagne.
The winery's founder, Charles-Camille Heidsieck, was a legendary figure. At the age of 29, he established his own Champagne brand, Charles Heidsieck, setting his sights on the United States, beyond Europe. In 1952, he became the first businessman to sell his own Champagne in the American market, earning him the nickname "Mr. Charles of Champagne." He experienced ups and downs and challenges throughout his life, but ultimately achieved tremendous success in the United States. His perseverance in pursuing his dreams and his fearless spirit of innovation remain the core values of the winery.
In 2025, Heidsieck Champagne ranked fifth on Drinks International's list of the world's most popular Champagne brands, surpassing renowned brands such as Champagne Pol Roger, Champagne Dom Perignon, and Champagne Salon. Heidsieck Champagne has also been the official champagne of the Michelin Awards for many consecutive years. Its winemaking team has won the "IWC Sparkling Winemaker of the Year" award 16 times in the past 30 years, a testament to its exceptional quality.
In 1859, it won its first trophy at the World Expo, earning it recognition and becoming a favorite of Napoleon III. In 1864, it became a favorite of the Russian Tsar, who labeled it "Russian Special Champagne" in Russian on the bottle label. In 1912, the Titanic, carrying hundreds of bottles of Charles Heidsieck champagne, struck an iceberg, breaking the ship in two and plunging the bottle into the Atlantic Ocean. In 1985, scientists reawakened Charles Heidsieck, having been dormant for 73 years. The champagne house also gained the attention of Rémy Martin, which acquired it and restored it to its former glory. After several successive generations, it is now a top-tier champagne brand under the French EPI (Europeenne de Participation Industrielle).
Winemaking
The estate's underground cellars, located approximately 30 meters below the surface of Saint-Nicaise in Reims, France, stretch for eight kilometers. This area was once a Roman quarry in the 3rd century AD, nearly 2000 years ago. Constructed from chalk rock, the cellars have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015. The stable temperature and humidity, along with the tranquil environment, provide ideal conditions for aging the Champagne, giving it more complex flavors and finer effervescence.
As is well known, there are three legally permitted grape varieties in the Champagne region, but for Hacherte Champagne, the concept of "Time as the fourth varietal" is deeply rooted in their winemaking philosophy. Time, considered by the winery as the fourth grape in Champagne production, imparts complex and rich flavors, as well as a uniquely smooth texture.
The core grapes are carefully selected from the most representative Côte des Blancs Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages such as Oger and Vertus, precisely reflecting the pure chalky terroir. This is a masterpiece from which the winery has made a triumphant return after many years of discontinuation of Blanc de Blancs. The wine is aged in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed "2,000-year-old Gallo-Roman chalk cellars Crayères," undergoing lees aging for 3 to 4 years, far exceeding the legally mandated 15 months, perfectly showcasing the winery's signature "creamy and silky" texture.
