Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 1990

Toasted hazelnut, candied orange rind, and damp earth pour from the glass, three decades on cork have done extraordinary work here. Bone-dry and concentrated, yet a deep, buttery creaminess runs underneath, the two sides pulling against each other before resolving into something seamless. Tropical fruit surges through the finish, anchored by a firm, chalky spine. One of the great mature Champagnes, and there's still life ahead.