Charles Heidsieck Brut 2012 (750ML)

95 JS / 94 WA / 93 DE / 17 JR

Very lemony (blossoms, zest and candied peel), with some red-berry and fresh tobacco-leaf notes. Impressive richness and concentration, the creaminess from lees beautifully matched by the fine mousse and mineral freshness. The latter also powers the structured and saline finish that makes a serious statement. A blend of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, disgorged in 2020. Drink or hold. - James Suckling

Disgorged in 2019 with eight grams per liter dosage, the 2012 Brut Millésimé offers up aromas of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers and clear honey, complemented by hints of toasted bread, citrus zest and linden. Medium to full-bodied, elegantly fleshy and nicely concentrated, with lively acids and a pinpoint mousse, it's more generous and demonstrative than the 2008, but it will nonetheless reward a bit of bottle age. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate 

The Brut 2012 from Charles Heidsieck is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. The wine expresses aromas of apricot, crisp yellow orchard fruit including lemon but also spring flowers. On the palate, the texture is medium-bodied and very precise, crystalline and long with an expansive finish and some racy, noble bitterness. This is a gourmand style of Champagne that will gain in complexity with 2-3 years of ageing. - Yohan Castaing, Decanter

Both intense and discreet. Extremely tightly woven. Not as dry as some but certainly not simple. Tastes more youthful than many 2012s. Subtle and not flamboyant. You feel you could drink this in quantity! - Jancis Robinson