CHARLES HEIDSIECK / RARE CHAMPAGNE - Direct To Consumer!

YOUR BOY:
As a second-generation sommelier and restaurateur from Chicago, Philippe André has been on the cutting edge of wine and cuisine for sixteen years. He developed a passion for hospitality, wine education and Champagne early in his career. Before his current roles as the U.S. Ambassador for Charles Heidsieck Champagne and Private Client Director at FOLIO Fine Wine Partners, Philippe focused on wine auction curation, luxury wine and spirits brand development, and hospitality management. In addition to his Champagne travels Philippe serves on the board of the United Sommeliers Foundation in the support and development of future Sommeliers.

FIND ME: @niquesomm

WHY:
For my birthday (THE 27th) I’m proud to offer up some of the most kickass bubbles on the planet from our cellars in REIMS direct to yours!
All wines are currently stateside in our Napa & Chicago warehouses.
Availability is on a first come basis and VIA timestamp.
All prices are exclusive of shipping or applicable taxes.

HOW TO ORDER:
Please send me an email to pandre@foliowine.com to secure your order and to discuss shipping.


WHAT:
Charles Heidsieck – REIMS
4,000 cases Imported annually, historical nano-House founded in 1851

2020 HARVEST VIDEO

La Collection Crayères
An annual library release of selections by Chef de Cave Cyril Brun
https://charlesheidsieck.com/en/crayeres-collection-2020

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

A SIGNATURE IN CHALK
150 years ago, Charles-Camille Heidsieck was one
of the very first founders of a Champagne House to take
the bold step of purchasing a number of authentic chalk cellars

  • 47 no less - tucked away in the historic heart of Reims.
    Lost cathedrals, subterranean pyramids, it is impossible
    to describe the full majesty of these immense Gallo-Roman
    chalk cellars, the “Crayères”. This unique setting, carved into
    the chalk over two-thousand years ago, is today listed
    as a World Heritage Site.
    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.
    Each bottle brilliantly showcases the skill of Charles Heidsieck’s
    Cellar Masters; only insightful blending and the highest quality
    production can withstand such a test of time.
    As they mature, further bottles will be opened for passionate

2000 Vintage Brut
2012 Disgorgement, 11 years
3 Pak
RETAIL $600

TASTING
To the eye: A golden robe with glints of green and refined
bubbles for creamy, generous streams of effervescence.

On the nose: The nose first offers toasted notes, leading to fruity
accents of tangerine, mango and kumquat before final aromas
of fresh fruits.

On the palate: The palate retains a touch of positive firmness,
hinting at good ageing potential. The finish is highlighted with
spiced peppery notes.

2000 IN CHAMPAGNE
Following flowering, the grapes were abundant and beautiful.
Then a torrent of storms and hail starting in April looked as
though it would jeopardize everything. The grape bunches that
escaped disaster were threatened with mildew and botrytis.
However, sunny days during the harvest enabled the grapes to
boast all the necessary characteristics for potentially excellent
wines.

THE CONCEPT OF ‘‘MIS EN CAVE’’
Highlighted by Charles Heidsieck
The Charles Heidsieck House was the very first to demonstrate
the exceptional capacity of its multi-vintage Brut Réserve for
aromatic development with the previously undisclosed
importance of a year of cellaring.
Charles Heidsieck thus paved the way to a world of fascinating
comparative tastings.
Depending on the year of cellaring, each wine develops a
particular personality while remaining in line with the array of
tastes that define the Charles Heidsieck style.
This diversity of nuances over time is the result of the
exceptional richness of the blending process and the emphasis
on quality at each stage of production.
It is thus possible to genuinely appreciate the effect of time on
the Charles Heidsieck multi-vintage champagnes.
It is a fact that good champagne, just like good wine, ages well.
Time is even a key factor in its quality and its personality.
Today, the House is pleased to continue with this heritage of
tasting and to incorporate its earliest “mis en cave” in the
Crayères Collection.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHS-_O_AZkC/?igshid=o114ucnnskce

NV MEC 2 Pak – Millennium Duo
1b 2000 Vintage Brut
1b NV MEC 2001 Brut
2 Paks
RETAIL $450

[/b]
MIS EN CAVE - 75cl
2001
Luxuriance & Generosity
BLEND: 37% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay, 21% Pinot Meunier
CELLARING: 2001
DISGORGEMENT: 2006

TASTING
To the eye: A verdant gold robe with abundant effervescence.

On the nose: The nose reveals toasted aromas of light tobacco,
liquorice, white peppercorn, nougat and candied quince.

On the palate: The wine asserts its generosity with notes of
liquorice, pepper, lemon balm, eucalyptus and passion fruit. A
combination of flavors then appears with touches of roasted
peanuts, mocha, toasted brioche, golden rum and cashew nuts.
The finish opens with a noble bitterness and notes of camphor,
candied lemon and blood oranges.

NV MEC 3 Pak – Decade Trio
1b NV MEC 1990 Brut
1b NV MEC 1995 Brut
1b NV MEC 2000 Brut
3 Paks Available
RETAIL $600

MIS EN CAVE - 75cl
1990
Torrefaction & Harmony
BLEND: 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier
CELLARING: 1990
DISGORGEMENT: 1993

TASTING
To the eye: A golden robe with glints of copper interwoven with
delicate bubbles in a creamy, abundant effervescence.

On the nose: The initial nose opens on aromas of ginger root,
liquorice, mocha, candied grapefruit and roasted peach. When
left to air, notes of tangerine, pineapple and mango appear.
This fruitiness is then complemented by subtle touches of flint,
menthol, eucalyptus and passion fruit.

On the palate: The full body and effervescence linger on the
palate.

MIS EN CAVE - 75cl
1995
Indulgence & Sophistication
BLEND: 38% Pinot Noir, 39% Chardonnay, 23% Pinot Meunier
CELLARING: 1995
DISGORGEMENT: 2000

TASTING
To the eye: A deep golden robe with green glints and a delicate
effervescence.

On the nose: Earthy aromas initially dominate before being
tempered by indulgent scents of cooked mirabelle plums,
poached pears and blackcurrants. Then come subtle spiced notes
of clove.

On the palate: The palate is mineral and silky with a plush
dosage at the finish.

MIS EN CAVE - 75cl
2000
Magnitude & Majesty
BLEND: 41% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 19% Pinot Meunier
CELLARING: 2000
DISGORGEMENT: 2004

TASTING
To the eye: A golden robe with glints of copper and generous
effervescence.

On the nose: A resonance of candied fruits initially dominates,
leading to a floral bouquet underpinned with scents of jasmine
and violets.

On the palate: The tasting reveals toasted notes along with figs,
dates, salted caramel, undergrowth, liquorice and cedar. The
finish is long and silky with sweet touches of crème brulée.

NV MEC 1987 RD Jeroboam 3Liter
2020 Disgorgement, 33 years
1 Bottle
RETAIL $1600

Tautness & Length
BLEND:
46% Pinot Noir, 38% Chardonnay, 16% Pinot Meunier

TASTING
To the eye: The robe is golden with elegant green glints and a
generous, delicate effervescence.

On the nose: Toasted notes initially dominate along with
mineral and smoky fragrances. When left to air, aromas of
candied ginger, liquorice and roasted peanuts appear.

On the palate: The palate is crisp and delicately taut, highlighted
by beautiful vitality.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CH-Jek0oJ2e/?igshid=1fki2zqrdklou

HOW TO ORDER:
Please send me an email to pandre@foliowine.com to secure your order and to discuss shipping.

RARE Champagne - REIMS
2,000 cases imported annually, literally rare: only 12 vintages produced, ever.

History of Rare
Truly an extraordinary occurrence, only twelve vintages of Rare Champagne have been created in the last 4 decades: 1976, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2008 and Rare Rosé Millésime 2007 and 2008.Régis Camus, the cellar master of Rare Champagne, only produces this iconic champagne in the most exceptional of vintages - vintages with distinctive character and unparalleled longevity. With bold origins as a tribute to Marie-Antoinette, the limited-production and unabashedly exclusive Rare Champagne is a regal rejection of convention.

Terroir & Blending
Rare Champagne transforms the obstacles of nature into an unrivalled champagne. Each Rare Millésime is born from the struggle with nature. For instance, Rare Millésime 1976 was created after an exceptional drought, Rare Millésime 1985 following a terrible black frost. As the guardian of the Rare Champagne style, cellarmaster Régis Camus selects the vineyards according to their expression rather than their rank in the scale of Premiers and Grand Crus. This uncommon blending approach contributes to the complex, distinguished, and yet pure style of Rare Champagne. Camus thinks outside the box to create an emblematic silky texture and an endless freshness for Rare Champagne. His unconventional selection of Chardonnay grapes from the Montagne de Reims, a region famous for Pinot Noir, give an incredible, endless freshness and precise minerality. He prefers the Pinot Noir grapes from the Montagne de Reims (for instance Verzy or Aÿ) for their sheer intensity and powerful silky texture.

Régis Camus | Cellar Master
Since 2004, Régis Camus has been awarded the title of Sparkling Winemaker of the Year eight times by the prestigious International Wine Challenge. Born and raised in the Aisne department of France, Régis earned a scientific degree at university and planned on a career in teaching before moving to Reims to undertake studies in winemaking. Régis joined Piper-Heidsieck in 1994 and became cellar master in 2002. In 2018, Régis retired from his role as cellar master for the entire Piper-Heidsieck portfolio to focus exclusively on Rare Champagne. Married and the father of three children, Régis Camus loves hiking in the country and in the mountains. To relax over the weekends, he enjoys handiwork around the house and working in the garden. Régis also has a passion for vintage cars.

BOTTLE PRODUCTION VIDEO

LABELING VIDEO

BOX PRODUCTION VIDEO

2006 Brut
12 Pak
RETAIL $2400

ON THE NOSE: TROPICAL AND DISTINGUISHED
Rare Millésime 2006 first offers a generous honeyed and oriental nose - an appeal to all lovers of fine food and wine. The intense nose reveals a precocious, but great, maturity, the sign of a generous, intense year. The extremely expressive fragrances of crisp mango, white chocolate, cocoa, coffee, tropical fruits, quince and cinnamon-flavoured jelly lend the vintage complexity and a sophisticated vitality. The scent of jasmine tea, so typical of the Rare Champagne style, paves the way for a gradually emerging minerality. In this straightforward wine, aromas of dried apricot and pink peony foreshadow a slightly vegetal structure, much like the limestone and rich loam where vanilla, yellow kiwi and Oriental spices bloom.

ON THE PALATE: INFINITELY RICH AND INVITING
The exceptionally long finish immediately impresses the palate. Hints of mocha and cappuccino dusted with cocoa confirm the fine Rare Millésime 2006 minerality and subdue the luminous rectitude tempered by a delicate effervescence. Dried apricots, sweet spices, vanilla underpinned with fragrant quince jelly, citron and lime envelop the palate with an Oriental and smoky, almost nonchalant, warmth. As it warms in the glass, Rare Millésime 2006 pulses with accents of crisp honeyed pastries and Espelette pepper. Testifying to its solar generosity, this depth underscores the wine’s taut freshness and foreshadows a magnificent longevity.

AGEING POTENTIAL
Drink until 2030

AWARDS
• Gold Decanter 2019
• Grand Gold Mundus Vini
• Gold Medal International Wine Challenger
• Champagne Trophy International Wine Challenger
• Daniel Thibault Trophy for IWC Champion Sparkling Wine International Wine Challenger

2006 VIDEO



2008 Rosé
6 Pak
RETAIL $3000

WEATHER: UNPREDICTABLE
After a mild winter, a dreary spring, a significantly cool summer, the ominous and extremely rainy weather became sunny, dry and almost cold, lasting throughout the harvest.

TO THE EYE: PEARL PINK
Coppery, almost blue glints merge to give a soft hue of pink quartz. As exquisite as the petals of old roses, elegant bubbles dance in the glass.

ON THE NOSE: SPRINGLIKE AND COMPLEX
The initial nose offers a bouquet of spring flowers. This fragrant elegance quickly increases in complexity and texture. Notes of tangerine, lychee and verbena alternate with hints of syrupy elderberry, of sweet almonds. Freshly picked dark crisp fruit (blackcurrant, blueberry, lingonberry), the nose is generous, heralding a vintage with exceptional potential.

ON THE PALATE: SUBTLE AND MINERAL
Following an attack that is both elegant and generous, the velvety texture unfurls to offer minerality and subtlety. Initially, the exuberant vitality of dark fruits and of citrus is followed by the vibrancy, smoky notes and aromas of star anise and violets. Then the triumphant delicacy expresses a hint of vanilla.

AGEING POTENTIAL
Drink until 2030

VIDEO


LIBRARY WINES / RECENT DISGORGMENTS
1988 Brut RD
2019 Disgorgement
3 Pak
70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir
RETAIL $1875

Following an intense year, Rare Millésime 1988 is a generous and heady wine. The weather was uneven and weeks of record heat vied with very cool temperatures, unveiling a mature and opulent vintage. Its “coziness” demands that the wine be savored like a great cognac. Given its enticing, welcoming sophistication, it offers incredible ageing potential. In the bright, deep gold hues, vivid yet discreet bubbles weave an attractive effervescence.

An initial plump scent of plants, dried fern and humus, is followed by a sensuous truffle fragrance and the floral overtones of figs and dates. The core is characterized by warm notes of ripe grains, refreshed by verbena. The velvety texture of cocoa beans gives way to more powerful notes of dried fruit, hazelnuts and dried currants. The aromas of plants and herbs, peppered with hints of eucalyptus, is combined with the delicious scents of sandalwood and incense. The final harmonies of tobacco, truffle and “old library” unfurl in an extraordinary freshness and aristocratic roundness, even 30 years after bottling. Drink until 2030.

1988 LAUNCH EVENT VIDEO


1998 Brut RD Magnum
2018 Disgorgement
3 Pak
RETAIL $1200

70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir
Released for the first time in magnum, Rare Millésime 1998 captivates as its power expresses richness and complexity before merging into delicate elegance. The weather was wet and sweltering. During a year of pouring rains, a heat wave in August burnt the grapes, nevertheless resulting in a vibrant and complex vintage.

Sparkling golden green highlights with refined, delicate bubbles. An initial and extremely elegant touch of sandalwood and cedar gives way to a more generous and precise bouquet of gingerbread, orange blossom and dried apricot. The lasting aromas are those of meringue, cocoa and licorice, finishing with a more mineral tone of underwood, camphor and bergamot orange. Between firmness and warmth, richness and complexity, its marvelous purity expresses creamy notes of peony, brown sugar and delicious aromas of gingerbread blossoming in a sheer freshness and an everlasting finish. Drink until 2035.

2002 Brut Methuselah 6Liter
2016 Disgorgement
1 Bottle
RETAIL $4500

70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir
Perfectly classic, Rare Millésime 2002 combines spicy aromas with freshness, oriental scents with minerality, purity with precision. The weather was idyllic and benevolent sunny weather gave a generous harvest with magnificent grapes. An exceptional summer resulted in a deep, sumptuous vintage.

The first scent is subtly floral with touches of honeysuckle, iris and jasmine. Then, notes of exotic fruits (mango and kiwi), dialogue with vetiver and exotic woody scents. On the flawless nose, the mild spices reflect the wine’s depth (white pepper, ginger, smoked tea and cumin) and enhance its magnificent and complex minerality. The silky lace of mocha flirts with the soft breath of exotic aromas (mint tea, lime, kumquat, mango, kiwi and candied ginger) to underline the purity and the texture of this vintage. Delightful vivacity and superb bouquet of spices leads to a delicate, long finish. Drink until 2035.

VIDEO


HOW TO ORDER:
Please send me an email to pandre@foliowine.com to secure your order and to discuss shipping.

2 Likes

Very special offer with detailed notes and fabulous pricing- many thanks for your generosity.

1 Like

I’m in for one NV MEC 3 Pak – Decade Trio

Let me know how to place order.

I’d love one of the NV MEC 1987 RD Jeroboam 3Liter - How do I order?

1 Like

It’s near the top of the listing:

Please send me an email to > pandre@foliowine.com > to secure your order and to discuss shipping.

1 Like

Hi John, happy preview day!

Please email me: pandre@foliowine.com

Ahh fecking crap. I even looked twice to try to find it too.

Hi John, happy preview day!

Please email me with at pandre@foliowine.com

Cheers!

Thanks Blake, cheers!!

1 Like

Done! Talk soon!

Thanks!

wow don’t know what to pick

Oh, man, don’t mock me but I had to call my wife to consider permission for some of these.

Fingers crossed.

1 Like

I’m pulling for you Anton.

I just read through the whole offer. Pretty darn extensive, and impressive!

1 Like

Think I’m gonna take a decade and a millennium. Now I gotta pull an Anton and ponder the Rose sixer.

Meats posts three times what he could post in one - he likes to take up space…

It’s like an extra $.01 out of your pocket every time, right. But hey stuff keeps coming to me.

May take a while to read my man Philippe’s post…but I had to give him a big BerserkerDay BIRTHDAY Shout Out!

Pretty epic of his mom to purposely have him on BerserkerDay, don’t you think??? #dedication

[berserker.gif]

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Excellent post all around, and Happy Birthday!!

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I wish I had more disposable income this BD. Would love to pick one up. What is your cheapest (but still great Brut/Champagne)!