Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millesime 2005

Still very young, this holds great potential. Rich, full-bodied and densely structured, it is a wine first, sparkling second. Ripe apple and peach flavors partner with a strongly mineral texture. Cellar Selection.

The 2005 Vintage Brut – a classic mix of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – is a very ripe and concentrated Champagne with a bit of bitterness in the finish. "2005 was austere as a young wine, but since 2015, it shows very well and promises a very good aging potential," finds chef de cave Régis Camus. The wine opens deep, pure and fresh on the nose, with very clear white fruit aromas, spiced bread and a very clear definition. Light, fresh and finesse-full on the silky-textured palate, but also round and intense, this is a very elegant and refined vintage Champagne. It has a pure and fresh finish, and a long and intense aftertaste. Rating: 93(+) Points.

This has terrific composure, among the fresher and better-presented of the vintage in terms of aromas. It's toasty with grilled hazelnuts, chalky and flinty. Aromas are in the pithy grapefruit and dried peach spectrum, with lemon too. The palate's seamless, powerful and quite deeply flavored. It climbs high and wide, then focuses neatly through the finish as acidity chimes in as well as some cherry flavor that steadies and balances. Great drinking now.

Notes of apricot and black currant preserves are layered with racy acidity and flavors of grilled nut, pastry cream and candied lemon peel in this creamy, elegant Champagne. Rich and finely balanced, with a vibrant, smoke-tinged finish. Disgorged 2014. Drink now through 2028.

Plump and rich, this fits clearly within the house style, its flavors broadened by scents of marzipan and spice- box complexity. It’s potent and dense, almost gamey in its power, with a slightly green edge to the acidity that should mellow as the wine ages further.