Blanc des Millénaires

Blanc des Millénaires (pronounced blahn day mee-leh-nair) is the most important wine from Charles Heidsieck in Reims (pronounced rans), made solely from Chardonnay and only in years the chefs de cave consider exceptional. Since 1983 there have been ten editions: 1983, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2017. According to the house, 2017 was a capricious year, but in the end it showed the strengths of the Côte des Blancs (pronounced koht day BLAHN).

The 2017 vintage combines five villages: premier cru (pronounced pruh-MYAY KREW) Vertus (pronounced vair-tu) and grand cru (pronounced grahn KREW) Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (pronounced luh may-neel syoor oh-zhay), Oger (pronounced oh-zhay), Avize (pronounced a-VEEZ) and Chouilly (pronounced shoo-YEE). According to the magazine “The World of Fine Wine”, Le Mesnil (pronounced luh may-neel) gives about 30% of the blend, and in this vintage Chouilly replaced the usual Cramant (pronounced kra-MAHN). The wine matured for seven years in the house's UNESCO-listed chalk cellars; it was disgorged, meaning the sediment was removed, in July 2025. The dosage is 9 g/l.

According to the house, the nose starts with pastry and cream: toasted brioche, butter and shortcrust pastry. Then come hazelnut, flaked almonds and tarte Bourdaloue, pears baked in almond cream, and finally violet and dried white flowers. On the palate the wine is silky and creamy, and the long finish carries a slightly salty, chalky minerality.

The house calls this vintage generous and harmonious, and Anne Krebiehl MW gave it 95 points. The house does not suggest specific dishes; like most mature Blanc de Blancs (pronounced blahn duh BLAHN) it goes well with fish in butter sauce, scallops and delicate poultry.