Home > Trade Tastings > The Wines of Régis Camus

The Wines of Régis Camus

Régis Camus stepped into some very big shoes when he took over as cellar master at Charles Heidsieck in 2002, following the untimely death of Daniel Thibault. Thibault had revitalised Charles Heidsieck, turning an average Champagne house into one of the leading names, certainly when it came to the quality of the non-vintage blend which, with 40% reserve wines, was looking more and more like a multi-vintage blend along the lines of a prestige cuvée rather than an entry level wine. And Thibault was undertaking the same task at Piper Heidsieck, with early reports being good. Camus clearly had a lot to live up to. It did seem, however, that Camus may have had the necessary experience. After studying oenology at Reims, he joined the firms of Piper and Charles Heidsieck to work with Daniel Thibault in 1994. The two formed a great partnership, so Camus has in fact already played a part in the turn around of Charles Heidsieck, and it is perhaps only right that he should now make his own name as he puts his hand on the tiller of Piper Heidsieck in particular.

At Charles Heidsieck Camus has continued the release of non-vintage blends with declared date of cellaring (allowing the consumer to work out the base vintage as well as distinguish otherwise identical looking bottles which can contain completely different wines, as is the case with other non-vintage wines) as well as declaring date of disgorgement on the back label. At Piper Heidsieck, however, things have really changed. In April 2004 four new non-vintage cuvées were launched, these being as follows:

Sublime, a splendid demi-sec cuvée.
Divin, Piper Heidsieck's first ever release of a Blanc de Blancs Champagne, made using fruit sourced from Montagne de Reims and Sézannais.
Rosé Sauvage, a blend of fifty crus made using addition of red wine.
Florens-Louis, named in honour of the founder of Piper-Heidsieck.

Naturally I jumped at the opportunity to taste two of the most recent releases from Régis Camus, both non-vintage cuvées. (5/11/04)

The Wines of Régis Camus - Tasting Notes

Tasted in November 2004. Click for stockists:

Charles Heidsieck Mis en Caves 2000 Brut Réserve Champagne NV: Pale hue, with a very tight bead. Clean, piercing, lemon and white fruit on the nose, with green elderflower like notes. A beautifully fresh palate, with a firm mousse opening out into a creaminess on the midpalate. Lovely weight and crisp acidity. A lovely, crystal-clear purity on the finish. Altogether it’s a little tight at present, but offers some lovely primary fruit flavours. Not up to the ‘97 bottling, but ahead of the more forward ’98. Needs three to four years bottle age. 16.5+/20

Piper Heidsieck Cuvee Sublime Demi-Sec Champagne NV: A rich, golden hue here, with a very tight bead indeed. What a nose – very seductive, with a wealth of plump, smoky white fruits cut through with a minerally-stony character. Gorgeous! The palate offers a platter of sweet and ripe tropical fruits with nut praline nuances, with a plump texture, although overall a dry character; this is not an overtly sweet demi-sec. The richness envelopes the palate though, in equipoise with crisp acidity and creamy mousse. Great purity and a smoke and mineral depth here. This is a very impressive non-vintage cuvée indeed. 18/20