Champagne Brut
La Collection Crayères Millésime 2006

La Collection Crayères Édition by Charles Heidsieck is an exclusive selection of Vintage Champagnes from the Private Collection of the Maison, offered in limited quantities. Each bottle has aged for years on the lees in the historic chalk crayères, an environment that allows the wines to reach their full aromatic and gustatory expression. With this collection, the Maison pays tribute to its heritage and reveals the fruit of decades of savoir-faire. From the depths of the cellars come extraordinary cuvées, witnesses to an art of assemblage able to defy the years with grace and precision. Each vintage stands out for its character and complexity, with a refined structure and a unique aromatic signature. Discovering the Collection Crayères means setting out on a journey through time in search of the purest and most luminous essence of Charles Heidsieck Champagne.

This rare edition, Millésime 2006, comes from a year with a strongly contrasting climate. A cold, snowy winter gave way to a spring marked by violent storms in May and to a summer that began with oppressive heat, peaking in a record-breaking hot July and followed by a cool and rainy August. The return of dry, sunny weather in September then guided the grapes towards ideal ripeness and a smooth harvest. The assemblage shows a prevalence of Pinot Noir grapes, with 59% Pinot Noir and 41% Chardonnay grapes from selected plots of the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs, and brings together power and refinement in a balance of perfect classicism. After the tirage in 2007 comes an ageing of 9 years on the lees in the historic chalk crayères, followed by more than 10 years of post-dégorgement rest in the cellars of the Maison before its release in 2026, a journey that has shaped an aromatic texture of rare complexity and depth.

On tasting, this Millésime 2006 shows a brilliant golden yellow hue enhanced by bronze highlights and leads to a nose that is expressive and intense from the very first moment, supported by notes of brioche and honey that give way to candied apricot, quince paste, nougat and elderflower. The pastry register then unfolds with vanilla, mirabelle plum, black fruits, speculoos, praline and mocha, while forest honey, dried fruit and almond financier add further richness before liquorice, black tea, fig and dried dates extend its aromatic depth. On the palate the wine is balanced, generous and powerful, with an indulgent, pastry-like attack that fully reflects the character of the 2006 vintage, followed by a velvety, enveloping and creamy texture from the very first moment. The finish reveals dried apricot, mocha and toasty touches, accompanying a long and deep persistence. Production in a limited run of 2,500 bottles.