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The Master Winemaker 100: Cyril Brun, chef de cave, Champagne Charles Heidsieck
The drinks business recently published a guide celebrating the talent of the winemakers who have scooped the highest accolade of our Global Masters tasting series, which is judged almost exclusively by MWs. Each week we profile the winemakers behind these medal winning wines – the creatives, scientists, mavericks and dreamers who are at the pinnacle of winemaking.
Cyril Brun, chef de cave, Champagne Charles Heidsieck
Born into a family of Champagne growers growers, négociants and barrel makers from Aÿ, Brun studied business and oenology in Reims before joining LVMH-owned Veuve Clicquot. He spent 15 years working under Dominique Demarville as senior winemaker, and joined Champagne Charles Heidsieck in 2015 after the death of Thierry Roset.
What or who inspired you to become a winemaker?
My grandfather and father were winemakers. It was a great source of inspiration. It was also a very diverse job, covering viticulture and winemaking.
What is your favourite part of the job?
The tasting is the most exciting part of the job: it reveals the potential and personality of each component that will enter in your blend. It requires a nose, a palate and a good memory to organise all your sensations.
What’s the hardest part of the job?
Paperwork and legal constraints, which are so time-consuming
in France.
What’s your go-to drink at the end of a long day?
The first glass will be iced green tea, but the second could be a crisp glass of Riesling or Sauvignon blanc
What advice would you give your younger self?
Curiosity: ask questions, challenge the answers, go deeper in understanding the impact of every action.
What was your greatest winemaking mistake?
Excess of self confidence: never forget that the big boss is mother nature. You might be tempted to feel like you control many things but in that case you open the door to mistakes. Harvest is the most critical point, you need to update your information on a daily basis, otherwise you can make the wrong decision when deciding picking date.
Which wine-related achievement are you most proud of?
The launch or relaunch of a new wine is exciting: it will happen in a few years with Champagne Charlie.
Who is your inspiration in the wine world today?
Stéphane Derenoncourt is down to earth, with a pragmatic approach to winemaking, driven by terroir. He did a marvellous job dealing with various profiles of grapes/country. He prefers to encapsulate the DNA of each wine rather to bring his own footprint to the wine.
What is your go to drink at the end of a long day?
The first glass will be iced green tea, but the second could be a crisp glass of Riesling or Sauvignon blanc.
Where would your fantasy vineyard be?
It would be on a huge floating boat so I could travel everywhere according to the needs of the vineyards.
If you weren’t a winemaker, what would you be doing and why?
It could be either related to my two other passions: music, as the conductor of an orchestra, or exploring the oceans as an officer in the Navy.
Which wine would you most like to drink, and who would you share it with?
It would be a Jeroboam of Charles Heidsieck 1989 that I would love to share with the hilarious Jeremy, Richard and James from the glory days of Top Gear.
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Master medals |
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To buy a copy of The Master Winemaker 100, please click here.