2005 Charles Heidsieck Brut

The 2005 Brut Vintage is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Brioche, pastry, baked apple and apricot are some of the notes that flesh out in the glass. Supple, expressive and inviting, the 2005 offers lovely balance, especially for the year. Warm, toasty notes meld into the resonant, enveloping finish. This is quite lovely. Disgorged: May 6, 2014.

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.

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. Jun 2016, www.robertparker.com, Drink: 2017-2030