More people know of Bouchard Pere & Fils in Burgundy than Henriot in Champagne. Even fewer know that Champagne Henriot actually owns Bouchard Pere & Fils. That tells how discreet Champagne Henriot is.

Well, with a focus on quality featuring fine Chardonnay and a very modest total production volume, for a Champagne negociant house, @ around 1.3 million bottles per year, Henriot Champagnes would not be found everywhere...But initiated Champagne lovers would hate to miss it when going by Henriot's fine bubbly. And for them, the discreetness of Henriot can't be a better thing! It is 'exclusiveness' by the knowledge, rather than by the depth of pocket!

Importer Summergate has been representing Bouchard Pere & Fils for quite a while. And  it's a good news to hear that they now have Champagne Henriot onboard, finally!

On Dec 1st, a tasting of the whole Henriot range was held @ Pudao (The Wine Way) Shanghai to celebrate new partnership between Henriot and Summergate. And it's a real pleasure for me to share my fond memory of the fine bubblies here.        

We started with Henriot Brut Souverain (Non-vintage) in Magnum!

(* Note that Henriot ages NV in Magnums longer on lees than NV in bottles. Current release of NV in bottles are 2007 based, while the magnums are actually 2006 based!)

Hedonistic! Flowers, sweet citrus, yeast, acacia honey aromas grow heady. The palate is refreshingly fleshy with cushiony mousse: bright fruitness of white fruits and sweet citrus, with yeasty complexities, on the attack and mid-palate (admirable mid-palate weight); the long, drawn-out finish brings out mineral clarity. When well chilled, floral Meunier and citrusy Chardonnay dominate the scene. With more aeration and as it warms up in the glass, the vinous Pinot wakes up, rendering more structure and body. And the palate becomes more rounded and honeyed.

(* Surprising to hear that just 3-4% Meunier in Henriot Souverain NV blend. For me, it tastes like more Meunier there -- it could be because of the slow ageing from the magnum effect... Certainly, it will be rewarding to cellar such magnum for more complexity and depth)          

Henriot Brut Blanc de Blancs (Non-vintage) in bottle

Current release is 2005 based. That tells how patient they are with the lees ageing!

80% Grands Crus. 

When you know Henriot's strength lies in fine Chardonnays, plus they don't produce a vintage-dated Blanc de Blancs, you can expect Henriot BdB NV to be way above the average perfomers in its category...          

Henriot Brut Blanc de Blancs (Non-vintage) - continued -

Initially, the nose is pure and subtle.

On the palate, refreshing citrus fruit seriously dusted with mineral fine bitterness. Incisive and linear. Lovely clarity. Nice vigor.

As it warms up in the glass, the girth, the flesh and the rounded ripeness of 2005 begin to show through.

Henriot Brut Rose (Non-vintage) in bottle

As much as I admire the quality of the other cuvees, for me, it is the Rose NV that steals the show of the day!

(* Rose d'assemblage. 2/3 Pinot Noir, including 12% red wine; 1/3 Chardonnay.

The only Rose in the range. With the delicate still red wines vinified by Henriot itself to seek red fruit aromas, rather than structure or tannins. Source for mature Pinot (for the red wine) could vary from year to year, but Mareuil-sur-Ay (99% 1er Cru) is a key player. The Rose NV is NOT produced every year)

Delicate red berries and creamy aromas.

The palate is all about precision and poise! Like cut diamonds. Or a ballerina, dancing on her toes.

It quiets you down and grows upon you.

The delicate red wine renders aromatic charm. But the 1/3 fine Chardonnay in the blend is the hidden hero here, giving real class, poise and finesse, above all! 

Henriot Brut Millesime 2003 in bottle

The aromas are ripe, soft, voluptuous! So very 03.

Lovely vivacity on the palate, lifting the exotic richness. Ripe pear and peach.

With more time in the glass, it gains more flesh and vinosity. Almost chewable.

This is roughly 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend. But the low acidity feature of 03 partly 'hides' the presence of Chardonnay, making it taste like a Pinot Noir dominated blend.

Beautiful now. 

Henriot 'Cuvee des Enchanteleurs' Brut 1996 in bottle

(* Henriot's Cuvee de Prestige is rarely seen. But it still surprises me to hear that the production is just around 15,000 to 20,000 bottles per vintage! And they are so selective on vintage declarations, only 1990, 1995, 1999, 1996 and 1998 (by order of release) for that decade!

All Grands Crus. Roughly 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend.)

Dried fruits, browned butter and sandalwood. 

Heady, dark, fat, vinous. It simply sweeps the board.

But for me, this particular bottle tasted that day is a touch too evolved.

Having heard the very limited production of 'Cuvee des Enchanteleurs', as you might guess, the magnums are produced in even rarer, truly exceptional vintages only. This 'les Enchanteleurs 1990' Magnum is, of course, too rare for the tasting. It is the jewel @ Pudao Shanghai now.