#28 Charles Heidsieck's New Cellar Master Émilien Érard

Today it’s my privilege to welcome Émilien Érard, Chef deCaves of Charles Heidsieck. Émilien was appointed to the role in 2025, marking a quiet but significant evolution for the House. He succeeds Élise Losfelt, who departed to return to her family estate, but he also worked under Élise’s predecessor, the legendary Cyril Brun. Since joining in 2018, Emilien has embedded himself deeplywithin the fabric of Charles Heidsieck. His work has not been defined by visibility, but by precision—overseeing the rhythms of the winery, building trusted relationshipswith growers, and contributing, year after year, to the tasting committee that shapes the House’s signature.Émilien understands not only the technical architecture ofthe wines, but the deeper identity of Charles Heidsieck—its language of texture, patience and quiet power. In this episode, we move beyond the surface, exploring thephilosophy behind Charles Heidsieck’s rosé winemaking, the quiet power of lees ageing and reserve wines, and the nuanced decisions that preserve identity across challenging vintages. We also take a look at the newly released Blancdes Millenaries from the less talked about 2017 vintage.