Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin Uncorking a true legend – 1962 Charles Heidsieck ‘Le Royale’ [ read the full champagne story ]
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Imagine a moment frozen in time: a legendary vintage, aged in the perfect silence of the chalky Roman-era cellars, and now, finally, ready to speak its truth.
We are not merely opening a bottle of old champagne; we are engaging with a piece of liquid history—the 1962 Charles Heidsieck ‘Le Royale’.
While Charles Heidsieck is celebrated today for the consistent brilliance of its aged reserve wines, this elusive bottle, often referred to as a ‘British Cuvée’ or a special export release, hails from an era where the House was pioneering the concept of extended maturation. Produced in the legendary year of 1962, this Champagne embodies the classic, structural style that is the hallmark of Charles Heidsieck’s finest vintage expressions.
Join us as we pull the cork on this half-century-old masterpiece. We delve into the unique spectacle of its complex, evolved character: the deep golden hue, the whisper of its vanishing bubbles, and the extraordinary, tertiary bouquet of roasted coffee, truffle, spice, and candied citrus that only time can bestow. This is a rare journey into the very soul of aged Champagne.
The Tasting note
1962 Charles Heidsieck ‘Le Royale’
94(94)p
TASTING NOTE Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin – ‘The champagne Charles Heidsieck Le Royale is a rare, limited-release vintage bottling from a historical period, not a currently produced wine. The name was famously associated with the Cuvée Royale vintage served at the 1981 royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. One of the top wines of the vintage by legendary chef de caves Daniel Thibault with masses of life and authority still intact. Creamy, lightly toasted and very nutty with a broad, oily basic character.’
–Offered in auction @ Systembolaget / Bukowskis in Sweden the 3rd of November.
