481. Champagne Heidsieck & Co Monopole, Gold Top Brut, 2002

£18.99, 40% off; 12%

Of the various Heidsieck houses, Monopole carries the least auspicious name, and so that seemed to prove here. 2002 has a great reputation as a vintage, but Heidsieck’s attempt was a bit of a disappointment – not bad, but a little disjointed: the acidity was quite prominent and a touch crude & unbalanced. A 2^nd bottle later confirmed this. Too young, perhaps, but I couldn’t see clearly where this would go.