Henriot Champagne offers some of the finest champagne in the world. Whether you are looking to celebrate a special occasion or simply trying a new bottle, you’ll find their range of champagnes offer something to suit everyone’s needs. Today, we’re going to take a look at the history of Henriot Champagne and where their champagne is produced.
Henriot Champagne History
When Did Henriot Champagne Start Producing Champagne?
The company was first founded back in 1808 by Apolline Henriot, who aimed to use her land to create a drink that everyone would enjoy. For over two centuries later, the company ran independently as a family-owned business. The family has always worked to protect and promote the land of the Champagne region, introducing the Alliance Terroirs project a couple of years ago in 2020.
Apolline Henriot was the widow of Nicolas Henriot and owned a beautiful vineyard in Montagne de Reims. She was passionate about the beauty of the land and vines in this region and worked to shed light on what this part of the world had to offer. After founding the house, she created the company’s first cuvée, Henriot Brut Souverain. The company has continued to expand their offerings since the early 1970s, when Joseph Henriot added to the library wines collection which was started by Apolline.
Is Champagne Only Made in France?
A bottle of true champagne can only be made in the Champagne region of France. Otherwise, it will be called a sparkling wine. Champagnes are not only made in this region, but they use the seven district grapes that are grown here and the drink is prepared with the Méthode Traditionnelle. Legally, the champagne must be bottled within just 100 miles of this region to put the name champagne on the bottle.
Who is the Current Owner of Henriot Champagne?
The ownership question is more complex than you might imagine. Up until 2022, Henriot Champagne was owned by Gilles de Larouzière Henriot. He is an eighth-generation member of the family, and succeeded his uncle in 2015. His stated aim was to continue producing the high-quality products that the company has offered for so many years and retain the company’s ethos and values.
However, in 2022 François Pinault, a high-profile French businessman, purchased Henriot and then just earlier this year (March 2023) Champagne Henriot was re-sold to Terroirs et Vignerons de Champagne (TEVC) / Nicolas Feuillatte. While the Henriot website states that the family still “runs the business,” the company was sold for a large sum in March 2023 to a corporate wine conglomerate.
Where is Henriot Champagne Made?
Henriot Champagne is true champagne as it is made in the Champagne region in France. The company is based in the Reims region within Champagne and has been producing vintage or non-vintage cuvée since 1808. They now offer a range of products to suit everyone’s tastes and budget.
Featured Bottles from Henriot Champagne
Are you looking to try Henriot Champagne? Below are a few of the most popular options available.
Henriot Blanc de Blanc N.V.
Take a trip back in history when you sip upon the Henriot Blanc de Blanc. This champagne is a blend of the vineyards planted with Chardonnay. When the company added a new grape variety called Côte des Blancs, they were able to expand their offerings. Using the same philosophy and techniques established by the founder of the company all the way back in 1808, this champagne is fresh with citrus and white fleshed peach notes. It’s well-rounded and offers great clarity, making it ideal to sip during a celebration meal.
Henriot Brut Millésime 2012
The Henriot Brut Millésime 2012 pays tribute to the heritage of the company and its first cuvée, the Henriot Brut Souverain. Each year, a new creation is offered, which celebrates the blends and aromas of the season. The first nose of this champagne is intense and heady, but you’ll find the floral and elegant notes then come out. It’s the ideal tipple for a summer gathering, thanks to its notes of meringue, summer currants, and summer flowers.
Henriot Brut Rosé N.V.
Another popular offering from the company is the Henriot Brut Rosé, which is one of the more unexpected offerings from the company. It joined the collection in the early 1980s, after many years of development and testing. By blending a variety of vintages and years, this spectacular drink was created, which is one of the company’s top sellers to this day. It’s a sophisticated drink with a playful edge. The copper-pink appearance of the drink will make you think of spring, whereas, the structure that’s reminiscent of a Pinot Noir offers great balance of the drink. Created with home-grown, red berry fruits, it’s one of our favorite choices for a drinks party.
Henriot Cuvée Hemera 2006
The Henriot Cuvée Hemera 2006 takes us on another trip back in time to the vineyards that were opened by Apolline Henriot in 1808. As more crus joined the vineyards over the years, the family celebrated this union and expansion with the Henriot Cuvée Hemera. The 2006 blend is a combination of six different crus from Mailly-Champagne, Avize, Verzenay, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Verzy and Chouilly. It takes at least 12 years to make each of the bottles of this drink, which ages and darkens in the cellars before it is bottled to make a balanced drink with an incredible complexity.
An Iconic Wine Brand
The Henriot Champagne brand has offered an incredible range of products to wine enthusiasts around the world for many years. The history of the company is one that helps to bring more of a story to each of their champagnes, which are created in the region of France that is so famous for producing this alcoholic drink. We highly encourage you to try any of the Henriot Champagne products, all of which are produced with traditional techniques to this day. The company has worked hard to spread awareness about this part of the world and the beauty and heritage of the champagne making process. The attention to detail that they put into each bottle is clear from the moment you open your champagne and take a sip of this delicious drink.
Links for Featured / Referenced Bottles
https://chateaucellars.com/product/henriot-blanc-de-blanc-nv/
https://chateaucellars.com/product/henriot-brut-millesime-2012/
https://chateaucellars.com/product/henriot-brut-rose-nv/
https://chateaucellars.com/product/henriot-cuvee-hemera-2006/
About Chateau Cellars
Chateau Cellars is the ultimate wine destination in Florida. We offer an extensive catalog of top wines for sale with many special wines from Europe that are not found in other wine stores or wine websites. In addition to in-store and online wine sales, we also offer a premium wine storage service, tasting and private events in Tampa, FL, and Beaune’s Wine Bar – which is open to the public with reservations available on OpenTable.