With Release of 200th Anniversary Vintage of its Prestige Cuvée, Henriot Pays Tribute to the Six Original Grands Crus & the Founding of the House in 1808
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 – Two hundred years after Apolline Henriot founded Maison Henriot to share the beauty of her vineyards, the Champagne region experienced a classic year. The year 2008 was a perfect reflection of the region with cool and uncertain weather in winter, spring and summer followed by a return of the sun as the harvest approached. As if the Goddess Hemera herself bestowed her powers to produce a great year, Henriot’s 200th anniversary harvest brought forth Apolline’s vision, which is now released as Henriot Hemera 2008 ($200 SRP), showcasing both the ideal conditions of the year and the six founding grands crus of the House – Verzy, Verzenay and Mailly-Champagne in the heart of the Montagne de Reims, and Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Chouilly in the Côte des Blancs.
In 1808, Apolline’s prized vineyards in Montagne de Reims were planted with Pinot Noir. In 1880, through the marriage of Paul Henriot and Marie Marguet, who descended from a family of owners in grand crus of the Côte des Blancs, Maison Henriot was able to extend its vineyards to three crus planted with Chardonnay. The House’s prestige cuvée has been crafted continually since then and renamed Hemera, with the 2005 vintage serving as a symbol of this union of six terroirs, the most historical and prestigious of the 29 that make up the House’s vineyards today. The name ‘Hemera’ references the Ancient Greek goddess of daylight who “shines a light” through Champagne (and appears in a painting of Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Maison Henriot in Pierry).
Rested for more than 13 years in Henriot’s cellars, Hemera 2008 is a blend of the six founding crus, represented in equal parts, through a singular year – paying tribute to centuries of prestige winemaking and commitment to protecting the exceptional vineyards and region, all of which is now overseen by Cellar Master Alice Tétienne.
Henriot Hemera 2008
- 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir – 100% Grand Cru
- Minimum aged for 12 years on lees; 5g/L dosage
- Crus: Verzy, Verzenay, Mailly-Champagne in Montagne de Reims and Avize, Chouilly, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in Côte des Blancs
- $200 SRP
“Henriot Hemera 2008 presents a construction representative of its historical terroirs, made of amplified contrasts and intense demonstration through the year 2008,” says Tétienne. “Henriot Hemera 2008 shows an intimidating grandeur with freshness, finesse, distinction, and restrained power. At the opening, some subtle toasted, woody notes support the movement in the background. On the palate, harmony emerges, giving way to a vivacity pronounced with elegance, and we glimpse a precise and marvelous construction that resembles lace. After more than a decade in the cellar, the result is a wine that balances citrus, minerality and vivacity with maturity.”
Tétienne continues: “The typical conditions of the northern region of Champagne were brought together for the benefit of a great year, and Henriot’s winemaking philosophy is to let terroir express itself, and not to obscure it with subsequent alterations.”
In keeping with that philosophy, Tétienne is a founder of the Alliance Terroir Project, which centers around knowledge of the terroirs, adaptation of viticultural practices as a result of this knowledge and taking actions that contribute to the sustainability of the Champagne region. Initiated in 2020, the collective works at the service of wine and oenological excellence, and for the preservation of the Champagne vineyards. Maison Henriot continuously contributes to initiatives seeking to protect and enhance Champagne in the context of global climate warming and the need to account for environmental and societal challenges.
Henriot Hemera 2008 will be available nationwide in the U.S. beginning October 2023 and can be purchased at fine wine retailers. For more information on Champagne Henriot, visit www.champagne-henriot.
About Champagne Henriot
Founded in 1808 by Apolline Henriot, Maison Henriot has cultivated a distinctive and elegant style of its own, guided by the finest terroirs in the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims as well as a conscious and sustainable approach to the environment. Champagne Henriot’s current offerings include perennial non-vintage champagnes such as Brut Souverain NV, Blanc de Blancs NV, and Brut Rosé NV; vintage champagnes such as Brut Millésime 2012; prestige cuvées such as Cuvée Hemera 2006 and L’Inattendue 2016; a limited collection of historic vintage champagnes called Les Mémoires; and the house’s “Perpetual Reserve” champagne, Cuve 38. For more information on Champagne Henriot, visit www.champagne-henriot.com, or follow @champagnehenriot on Instagram and Facebook.
