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The Champagne Club Awards’23 [vinothèque of the year]

Picture of Champagne Club

Champagne Club

Or shall we call it ‘The Richards’ ?! Instead of ‘The Champagne Oscars’ ? We want to sum-up the year of 2023 from a Champagne perspective. In 20+ categories we hand out awards for this years most memorable Champagnes & Champagne related topics!

[featured partner – vigneron.se]

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

TASTING NOTE ‘One of the most magnificent wine experiences I’ve been part of! A perfect wine from one of the leading champagne houses. There is a huge difference between bottles that have been out on the market and the magical magnums that the house disgorges late.

Golden color with fresh virile mousse. For those who do not know how dry the cocoa smell, I can recommend a sniff of this champagne. Lavishly opulent and rich with a bold and buttery base. Fresh and rich at the same time. Not as sensual as the Comtes de Champagne or Salon from 1964, but just as good in a more restrained and younger style(!) This was the last year that all wines fermented in oak.

An Absolutely stunning Champagne! One of the most magnificent wine experiences I have been through and probably the most delicious wine I had drunk in the last ten years.

Disgorged in jul’22.

97(97)p

« The Henriot Mémoires embodies specific years, expressed through the Cuvées des Enchanteleurs, illustration of the 6 founding crus of the House, and the Millésimes, expression of the singular character of a year. It’s the tasting, and the emotion that emanates from it, that guides the choice of selection. »

Alice Tétienne
Cellar Master of Maison Henriot

Henriot

★★★★

Joseph Henriot is one of Champagne’s most important historic men. After having been the boss of Veuve Clicquot for many years, he returned to Henriot in 1994. Since retaking control of the family brand, the house has embarked on an ambitious vineyard purchase program and relies on contracts for the rest of their needs for Champagne Henriot. Purchases are dominated by fruit from the grands crus, especially Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and the north of the Montagne.

The house emphasizes a style led by Chardonnay, although there is almost an equal quantity of structured Pinot Noir from the north face of the Montagne in the villages of Mailly, Verzy, and Verzenay. For a while the firm was run by his modest and extremely competent son, Stanislas Henriot and since 2012 by Richard Moreau.

‘Winemaker is charming and devoted Alice Tétienne.’

Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin

The Henriot family were established as growers in Champagne by 1640 they started their own Champagne house in 1808. The firm’s strength has always been the high-class vineyards they owned in Côte des Blancs. Today they only own thirty-five hectares of vineyards in Chouilly, Avize, and Épernay. The total proportion of Chardonnay obtained from the firm’s fine contracts with 143 hectares from 73 growers is more than 40 percent; it dominates the house-style with its clean, elegant, fresh citrus fruit.

The Henriot family has always had strong ties with Charles Heidsieck. With Clicquot, on the other hand, they share a part of their cellar. The firm’s biggest export market is Switzerland, where Henriot’s dry, classic, slightly discreet Champagnes are a great success. The firm did well at the Millennium Tasting. Personally, I like these elegant classics extremely much. Some of the most drinkable wines in the world has got the Henriot Label. The entire range is fantastic and the new Cuve 38 is exceptional.

‘Very close to 5 stars like Charles Heidsieck.’

Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin
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