Richard Juhlin tasted some new releases from Premium house Henriot in Reims. [read the full champagne story]
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
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, without the vineyards, which LVMH retained. 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.
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
2015 Henriot ‘Millésime’
88(84)p
51pn 47ch
Only 5 villages this time. Verzenay, Trèpail, Mutigny, Avenay and Chouilly with 2.5 grams dosage. A bit of a disappointment initially. Maybe a little too freshly disgorged, but not as dense as I or anyone in our tasting group in the Champagne Club had expected during the big The Juhlin Champagne tasting in May 2025.
mv Henriot ‘Souverain’ (2019-base)
81(75)p
52pn 4pm 44ch
Drier than before with 2.6 grams dosage from the warm vintage with a full 46% reserve wines. You should always give these nice standard champagnes a couple of extra years in your own cellar to bring out the nice gunpowder-scented bouquet that is so characteristic of Henriot Souverain. A little unredeemed, but well structured when we hit May 2025.
mv Henriot ‘Blanc de Blancs’ (2018-base)
92(88)p
100ch
Only 20% reserve wines with 3.5 grams dosage. If I was a little disappointed with Henriot’s latest launch of the vintage wine and standard champagne, I was all the more lyrical about this wonderful edition of the non-vintage blanc de blancs. Here you can find everything you are looking for in ‘Cuve 38’ in an admittedly lighter and younger vintage, but what a find!
