Nestled in the heart of the Champagne region in France, Champagne Henriot is a prestigious champagne house with a history dating back over two centuries. This venerable house has survived the test of time thanks to its unwavering commitment to quality, tradition, and the art of champagne making. I was invited to a private Champagne Henriot visit in their exclusive Château les Aulnois, which included a tasting of their vintage bubbly. Read all about the visit and the Maison here!
Thank you to Kedge Wine School and the Gérard Basset Foundation for this opportunity.
Menu
Introduction
Environmental Initiatives
Château les Aulnois
The Tasting
Overall Thoughts
Introduction
The story of Champagne Henriot begins in 1808 when Apolline Henriot, a young widow, founded the Maison in Reims. Coming from a family that had been tending vines since the mid-1600s, winemaking was in her blood. She inherited her father’s vineyard in the heart of the Montagne de Reims (Bouzy) and it was her desire to “shed light on her lands through a Champagne“. This is still a guiding principle of Champagne Henriot to this day.
If you know anything about the Champagne region, Pinot Noir is the king of Montagne de Reims. Eventually, Apolline’s great grandson, Paul Henriot, married a young woman from the Côte des Blancs, Marie Marguet. This marked a transition in the Maison’s vineyards, and ultimately its assemblages with the introduction of Chardonnay from the Grand Cru Villages of Avize, Mesnil-Sur-Oger, and Chouilly.
Interestingly, many of Apolline’s descendants were agricultural engineers. For over a century, the Maison has focused on studying their terroirs and vineyards, including with their partner winegrowers. Their interest in soil analysis has indeed inspired other large Champagne houses to follow suit.
Champagne Henriot has the prestige of being an official supplier to the imperial and royal courts of Austria and the Netherlands. They were recently acquired by TEVC group (the day after my visit!).
Environmental Initiatives
Apolline Henriot’s legacy of “shedding light on her lands” still lives today through the Maison’s “Alliance terroir Henriot” project.
Working with the Comité interprofessionnel du vin et du champagne (CIVC), aka the Champagne region’s governing body, the Maison’s partner winegrowers, and other organizations and local groups, the aim is to study the soils of the Maison’s vineyards. By developing knowledge of these terroirs from a historical, analytical, and technical point of view, the findings are shared for the greater good of everyone in the Champagne region.
The studies include the composition of the soils, the geological strata, the rooting of the vines, the microbiological life of the soil, the water status… all particularly important in our changing climate.
During my visit, they put a big emphasis on their different soils. The tasting room is lined with different soil samples from their parcels. One example that I found particularly striking were two parcels from Aÿ. Even though they were from the same village, their compositions were entirely different. Seeing this, it is clear how the Chardonnay from these vines differs. Even the vines themselves cannot be treated exactly the same.
Champagne Henriot also helps pilot new vineyard management practices, such as using drone technology to study the health of their vines and robot harvesting (still in prototype).
Château les Aulnois
Château les Aulnois hosted my visit. This fantastic mansion is located in the village of Pierry, literally a stone’s throw from Epernay. Dating back to the 1700s, André Delaplace, an advisor to the King of France and one of the largest Champagne merchants, built this place for himself. Champagne Henriot acquired it about a decade ago. Recently restored, the building now welcomes private clients, distributors, journalists, and personalities from the world of wine and culture. However, it is not open to the general public. My guides warmly welcomed me with coffee, followed by pastries and a glass of champagne. A nod to the Maison’s history with hospitality.
Interior
The main reception hall is a magnificent octagonal room. A crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling. Original Zuber hand-painted wallpaper lines the walls, depicting scenes from Greek mythology. Windows display the perfectly manicured French garden (which I later wandered through).
A salon, library, and dining room branch off of the main room. All are beautifully appointed in Belle Époque style, with vivid colours and luxurious finishes. Apolline, an avid traveller, was apparently a fan of the literary arts too.
Exterior
Of course, I mentioned the gardens earlier. They reminded me of a smaller version of Versailles, with topiaries and roses. The exterior of the building is quite lovely too.
Pressoirs
While Champagne is no longer produced in this Château (production happens in Reims), the Maison has kept the original grape presses and cellars. The original pressoirs are now a tasting room, with an original wooden press on display. This is where the aforementioned soil samples are kept. I loved the contrast of the rustic feel compared to the the grandiosity of the main house.
Cellars
As I mentioned earlier, the real cellars remain from back in the day, when champagne was produced here. They offer the ideal humidity and temperature levels for storing bottles. Today, these cellars are home to Champagne Henriot’s oldest and most prestigious cuvées. They also double as an intimate tasting space for these coveted bottles. I personally think there is something extra special about tasting champagne in the cellars it was aged in!
The Tasting
I had the opportunity to try four cuvées from Champagne Henriot, from their entry-level to a 15-year-old vintage. I definitely felt spoiled with the selection! The first cuvée was the welcome drink upon arrival, so it was not officially part of the tasting. I did a comparison tasting inside the pressoirs before a final vintage tasting in the cellars.
Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain
The flagship of the Maison, Brut Souverain was served as the welcome drink upon arrival (after my morning coffee!). 50% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot noir, 5% Pinot meunier, contains 20% reserve wine and its dosage is 8g/L. It is aged 3 years in bottle. With fine bubbles, it has nice pleasant notes of citrus, white flowers, and brioche. Quite easy to drink and I would define it was a classic Champagne. It actually paired well with my morning croissant!
Champagne Henriot Blanc de Blancs
Beautifully fresh, this is a fantastic example of what a Blanc de Blancs can be. The assemblage is Chardonnays only, of course, mostly from Grand Cru villages. It has been aged slightly longer than the Brut Souverain (up to 5 years) with a higher dosage (10g/L). I found it fresh and gourmande at the same time — evolving from typical citrus notes to white fruits and flowers, with some brioche. It can definitely hold its own in a meal, not just apéro.
Champagne Henriot Millésime 2014
This cuvée is particularly special because it was released only two weeks ago! It is not even for sale through most distributors yet.
2014 was a bit of a yo-yo year, so to speak. Spring and winter were relatively mild, but it seemed like summer and autumn changed daily. These complicated conditions give way to an interestingly tannic champagne with lots of tension. I got notes of candied lemon and toasted pastries, balanced with crisp minerality. I really enjoyed the rich mouthfeel. It was a pleasure to try this one!
Champagne Henriot Cuvée Hemera 2008
If you are looking for a champagne with wow-factor, this is it! Champagne Henriot also recently released their Cuvée Hemera 2008 and it is a real treat. 2008 is hailed by the champagne world as one of the best vintages of the century. A cool and unstable climate throughout the growing cycle gave way to sunny and mild conditions towards the harvest, which took place in optimal conditions.
It is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir, aged for a minimum of 12 years on lees, and the dosage is 5g/L. The nose has a tantalising toastiness and the mouth remains bright and complex with a silky mouthfeel. An absolutely gorgeous gourmande expression of this noteworthy year. It is a must-try for champagne aficionados, especially for anyone into vintage champagnes! It is my personal favourite of the range and one of my favourites that I have tried this year. Well done!
Overall Thoughts
Overall, I had the most exquisite visit to Champagne Henriot. Fantastic champagnes tasted in such sumptuous surroundings, this is definitely a memorable experience. With each sip, I tasted the history, passion, and craftsmanship that has defined this illustrious house for over two centuries. This Maison should definitely be part of any champagne-lovers cellar.
Thank you to Kedge Wine School and the Gérard Basset Foundation for this opportunity.