Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Base Vintage 2017

Based on the 2017 vintage, complemented by 50% reserve wines (emphasizing Pinot, which was in short supply in the base vintage), Heidsieck's NV Brut Réserve exhibits aromas of sweet citrus fruit, buttery pastry, dried white flowers, bee pollen, crisp orchard fruit and praline. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with a pretty core of fruit, lively acids and chalky structure, it's a giving, charming wine that will offer a broad drinking window.

Charles Heidsieck's Brut Reserve is an absolute gem that flies under the radar. Changes of ownership led to mismanagement and lower production that bottomed out at 300,000 bottles a year in the past. Now rejuvenated, the Brut Reserve offers incredible depth and personality due to the high percentage of up to 10-year-old reserve wine each year – it is roughly half what goes into the bottle. The resulting wine is now one of the go-to pours at many Michelin star restaurants, including 3* Core in London. A classic blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier, the current release is formed around the 2017 vintage. Bright straw colour in the glass, it is immediate and complex with notes of toasted brioche, lemon curd, citrus oil and whipped butter. Unfurling on the palate, it is texturally rich with a generous mousse yet vibrant with acidity at the same time. Smoky, dense and oily in fruit, it is a layered wine that offers so much for the price. Vinous, with buttered peach, roasted nuts and more toasted brioche fleshing out the finish, it is as impressive as it is moreish. Drink it now, or over the coming decade.