Heidsieck Heritage Brut Champagne NV £14.24/$21.93 ***

London. This wine made me re-think my star system. This has been my favorite champagne of the week so far and it has been the lowest priced.  (what does that say for my taste-buds?) It was poured for our "Thanksgiving in Knightsbridge" Dinner.

This Heritage Brut is a great example of an off-dry Champagne. It has a slight hint of sweetness. (just a bit of residual sugar).  I have an American palate, to quote Laura Williamson, MW from the seminar "Bubble Mania" at euphoria "We talk dry, but we drink sweet".  It is true.  I have a semi-sweet tooth and I have decided to embrace it. Now I have to go back and review a few of my champagne posts - there really were some very dry Champagnes that I like, but to be honest, I prefer a hint of sweetness.

Heidsieck markets this as their entry level into fine Champagne.  I don't really get designer labels (which is why most of my clothing comes from LL Bean).  But I do understand quality. This really is a good Champagne and for the money, it was a GREAT Champagne to serve as an apéritif at our Thanksgiving Dinner.  Even though it is impossible for me to navigate Piper- Heidsiek's website, I was able to get some winemakers notes:  Pinot Meunier / Pinot Noir / Chardonnay  12% ETOH

What is amazing is that VCE is able to buy great Champagne on offer (sale) from her computer on the kitchen table.  She can research and order on-line then have it delivered to the doorstep.  This bottle came from Waitrose's (a local Supermarket) Wines Direct.  Because of this service, we are tasting quite a few varied Champagnes this week, which is great for multi-tasking.  We're efficiently ordered from the computer on the kitchen table while catching up on the latest Downton Abbey and Desperate House Wives episodes on telly.

As for pairings, Champagne goes with almost anything.  In the case of this bottle, it was opened while I was cooking.  I had to pace myself, as we had already been into the Gin and Calvados.  As VCE handed me a glass, I was making stuffing.  Careful not to get over imbibe too early, I took a delicious sip, tossed the rest of the glass into the bowl with the stuffing, along with the balance of my Calvados Cocktail. I gave the stuffing a final stir and popped it into the oven for an hour.  Then I poured myself a second tall, cold  bubbly glass of the Heritage and moved on to making the candied yams. (The stuffing was the first empty serving dish at dinner!)