Paying homage to his historic cellars,
Charles Heidsieck unveils its greatest treasure to oenophiles through a Collection called “Crayères”. Just like an old tome where every page recounts dazzling quests, an OEnothèque
of staggering vintages is to be revealed in a new edition
of five incredible bottles.

Closely guarded, those Crayères, the impassive
guardians of Champagne secrets, have seen thousands
of bottles produced over the years, coddling and sheltering
them peacefully from noise and daylight.

Time, like a “fourth varietal”, has crafted the soul
of the wines in the Crayères Collection. Extended ageing
on lees has unlocked the full potential of their aromas.
Each vintage has its own signature, its own generous tone. Rooted in the highest standards and precise construction,
all promise to deliver a harmonious combination of flavours.

Selectively released, whosoever is lucky enough to enjoy these precious jewels can boast of experiencing the dream
of travelling through time.

In this labyrinth of galleries, the echo of time resonates
with quality. 30 meters underground, the peaceful silence
and humidity make them the perfect sanctuary in which
to leave wines from the Crayères Collection to serenely
blossom, hidden away in the Charles Heidsieck cellars. This unique setting, carved into chalk over two thousand years ago, is now a World Heritage Site.

Discovering the Charles Heidsieck Crayères Collection is like traveling through time with legendary wines. As they mature, new bottles are offered each year to dedicated enthusiasts—a collection that, like the Maison’s wines, unfolds over time.

1990 IN CHAMPAGNE 

Despite severe frosts in the spring, the vineyards enjoyed hotweather throughout the growing cycle. Not since 1950 had thesun been so strong; grapes had never experienced so muchsunlight. There was, however, no drought like in 1976 or 1959. Justat the perfect moment, as the situation became dire, it would rain.As a result, the vine stocks, deeply rooted in the chalky soil’s waterreserves, did not suffer. The heat hindered the development ofdisease and parasites, leading to perfectly healthy grapes at theharvest.

BLEND:

65%  Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay

TASTING

TO THE EYE: A golden robe with glints of copper sparkling withdelicate phemeral bubbles.

 

ON THE NOSE: The wine expresses maturity as it opens with notesof oxidation: spices, roasting coffee, jellied fruit sweets andcandied melon. There is also a touch of cocoa. This complex noseoffers toasted, roasted notes with citrus fruit, bergamot, lemonand orange zest. The structure develops, but contributes to thearomatic complexity without overpowering it.

 

ON THE PALATE: The palate is characterised by nuts – walnuts andhazelnuts – but also cocoa, coffee and raisins. The wine demonstrates great elegance and freshness thanks to its citrus fruit notes accompanied by apricot and mirabelle plum. The finish is saltyand chalky.

1996 IN CHAMPAGNE

From the first preparations for harvesting until the time when thefigures in press log books were analysed and harvest declarationsmade, a general calm, a shared tranquillity, a sort of emotionalserenity reigned supreme in Champagne in 1996. We witnessed arapid succession of very contrasting periods which seemed to havebeen beneficial for the balanced growth of vegetation and grapeclusters. The grapes and must from this harvest were of outstandingquality and produced some exceptional wines.

BLEND:

60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay

 

TASTING

TO THE EYE: A golden-yellow colour with fine, long-lasting bubbles.

 

ON THE NOSE: Initially, the nose gives us notes of candied citrusfruit – lemon, grapefruit and yuzu. The wine is mature with notesof dried apricot, mirabelle plum and mango. We even detect redand black fruits such as raspberry and blackcurrant. Notes of nuts,candied chestnut and hazelnut characterise the development ofthe wine.

 

ON THE PALATE: The slightly acidic attack hold the all of the texture until it delivers a length that goes on and on. The palate also offers spicy, balsamic notes, in addition to aromas of citrus fruit and red fruits. The wine is complex and elegant, simply flawless.

2000 IN CHAMPAGNE

Following owering, the grapes were abundant and beautiful. Thena torrent of storms and hail starting in April looked as though itwould jeopardize everything. The grape bunches that escapeddisaster were threatened with mildew and botrytis. However,sunny days during the harvest enabled the grapes to boast all thenecessary characteristics for potentially excellent wines.

BLEND:

60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay

TASTING

TO THE EYE: A golden robe with glints of green and refined bubbles for creamy, generous streams of effervescence.

 

ON THE NOSE: A warm wine opening with spicy notes, notes ofhoney and candied fruit, such as fig, apricot, mandarin or evenpassion fruit. There are also notes of pastry, praline and candiedchestnuts. The nose picks out the roasted flavours of toast andcocoa.

 

ON THE PALATE: The palate is ample and generous, supported by an attractive acidic structure. The finish is salty and spicy. Thefreshness support the aromatic complexity. This all suggests,again, good cellaring potential.

1988 IN CHAMPAGNE

The grapes of the 1988 harvest showed characteristics promisingfavourable development for the wines they produced. There wasa mild winter, followed by frosts in spring, an unseasonably warmApril, then squally showers in May, and a dry summer thateventually gave way to thunderstorms. The capricious inconstancyof the Champagne skies didn’t treat this harvest particularlykindly, but it did produce very satisfying wines with their ownpersonalities.

BLEND:

60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay

TASTING

TO THE EYE:  The 1988 Rosé reveals an alluring coppery colour. The bubbles are fine and delicate.

 

ON THE NOSE:  The initial aromas of oxidation (walnuts, chestnutand hazelnut) develop into the floral notes of peony and violet.Red and black fruits such as raspberry, black cherry andblackberry make an appearance after aerating.

 

ON THE PALATE: The palate is still fresh, delicious and powerful and we can detect red and black fruits.

1990 IN CHAMPAGNE 

Despite severe frosts in the spring, the vineyards enjoyed hotweather throughout the growing cycle. Not since 1950 had thesun been so strong; grapes had never experienced so muchsunlight. There was, however, no drought like in 1976 or 1959. Justat the perfect moment, as the situation became dire, it would rain.As a result, the vine stocks, deeply rooted in the chalky soil’s waterreserves, did not suffer. The heat hindered the development ofdisease and parasites, leading to perfectly healthy grapes at theharvest.

BLEND:

100% Chardonnay

TASTING

TO THE EYE:  Blanc des Millénaires 1990 has a deep golden yellowcolour with slightly copper glints.

 

ON THE NOSE:  Distinctive, it reveals notes of cocoa, caramel andchocolate developing into a bouquet of earthy and truffle-likefragrances.

 

ON THE PALATE: It is a generous, full-bodied wine, whose intenserichness is enhanced by a subtle hint of bitterness. Peanut butterand earthy notes punctuate the excellent finish of this Blanc desMillénaires.

1996 IN CHAMPAGNE 

From the first preparations for harvesting until the time when thefigures in press log books were analysed and harvest declarationsmade, a general calm, a shared tranquillity, a sort of emotionalserenity reigned supreme in Champagne in 1996. We witnessed arapid succession of very contrasting periods which seemed to havebeen beneficial for the balanced growth of vegetation and grapeclusters. The grapes and must from this harvest were of outstandingquality and produced some exceptional wines.

BLEND:

100% Chardonnay

TASTING

TO THE EYE:  Blanc des Millénaires 1996 is golden with beautiful amber highlights. The bubbles are fine and lively.

 

ON THE NOSE:  The nose is open and generous, offering aromas of mature wine: chestnut honey, gingerbread, pecan, saffron, and warm butter immediately rise to the nose. With a swirl, fresh mandarin aromas take center stage.

 

ON THE PALATE: The aromas are confirmed in tasting, revealing smoky notes of black tea and roasted flavors in the finish. The palate reflects the signature of 1996, with a strong personality—warm, tangy, and taut.