Eighth-Generation Family-Owned Champagne House Continues Legacy of Prestige Cuvée Releases from Exceptional Vintages and Founding Grand Crus Vineyards
NEW YORK, September 28, 2021 – Champagne Henriot, the esteemed Champagne house founded in 1808, has announced the release of Cuvée Hemera 2006 ($185 SRP), the latest vintage release in the house’s long history of prestige cuvées. Champagne Henriot is one of the last remaining family-owned Champagne houses. It is known for its deep understanding of the diverse Champagne terroirs, in particular Premier and Grand Crus, with viticultural savoir-faire built over two centuries beginning with its storied founder, Apolline Henriot. The grapes for Cuvée Hemera 2006 are sourced entirely from the six original Grand Cru parcels that founded the house in the 19th century – paying tribute to the origins that lay the groundwork for centuries of prestige winemaking.
“In every aspect, Cuvée Hemera is symbolic of Maison Henriot’s mastery of time,” says cellar master Alice Tétienne. “After 12 years of aging in the darkness and silence of our cellars, Cuvée Hemera 2006 still bears the freshness and liveliness of spring, while the minerality and floral notes of Chardonnay heighten the fruit-forward accents of Pinot Noir.”
“The name Hemera is a tribute to the Greek goddess of daylight and represents this Champagne’s lively style and precision, achieved only through winemaking wisdom passed down through the generations and the patient passing of time,” adds Gilles de Larouzière Henriot, CEO and President of Maisons & Domaines Henriot and eighth-generation member of the Henriot family. “Our team is excited to release this exceptional vintage, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in equal parts, all hailing from the finest parcels of my ancestors’ six original Grand Cru villages.”
Cuvée Hemera’s Pinot Noir is sourced from Apolline Henriot’s original 1808 parcels in the northern Montagne de Reims villages of Mailly Champagne, Verzy, and Verzenay. The Chardonnay is sourced from the Côte des Blancs villages of Chouilly, Avize, and Mesnil-sur-Oger, from parcels acquired by the family in 1880 through marriage of Apolline’s great grandson, Paul Henriot to Marie Marguet of the Côte des Blancs. In blending these six original Grand Crus together for Cuvée Hemera 2006, Maison Henriot aims to honor its founder, heritage, and well-established legacy of producing prestige cuvées with precision and expertise of the terroirs they are proud to be a steward of.
Cuvée Hemera 2006
(50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir – 100% Grand Gru; minimum aged for 12 years on lees, 5g/L dosage; $185 SRP)
Tasting Notes
Brightly tinged and golden yellow in color, with a delicate and persistent stream of mousse. The bouquet offers notes of white flower, linden leaf, and a hint of vanilla; it is precise and mineral with a layer of iodine and saline accents that are characteristic of the most prestigious chalk parcels of the Côtes des Blancs. In great contrast to the nose, the palate is lively and fresh with notes of candied fruit, apricot, ripe peach, nectarine, and grapefruit. Notes of pastry and spiced fruit impart the lengthy finish. Cuvée Hemera can be enjoyed immediately or kept for an additional 5-10 years in the safety of a dark cellar to allow the Champagne to fully flourish over time. Best served at 50ºF.
The 2006 vintage in Champagne was a year of great contrast, which is reflected in the tension and concentration of Cuvée Hemera. The winter started out dry and cool, leading into a chilly spring that slowed down development of the vine’s growth cycle. Vine activity increased rapidly as late spring and summer saw a sharp turn toward hotter temperatures, giving way to ripeness and concentration development in the grapes. Just before harvest, the region experienced much-needed rain that replenished the chalk soils in the vineyards, contrasted by the dry weather and plentiful sunshine that made for ideal harvest conditions beginning on September 13.
Cuvée Hemera 2006 will be available nationwide in the U.S. beginning this month and can be purchased at fine wine retailers. For more information on Champagne Henriot, visit www.champagne-henriot.com, or follow @champagnehenriot on Instagram and Facebook.
About Maisons & Domaines Henriot America
Established in New York City in 2005 by the Henriot family, Maisons & Domaines Henriot America is an import company specializing in the distribution, sales and marketing of high-end wines produced by wineries which are references in their own region. Representing centuries of family winemaking expertise, the portfolio includes the Henriot family brands, as well as leading producers from Oregon Italy, and France: Champagne Henriot, William Fevre (Chablis, Burgundy), Bouchard Père et Fils (Burgundy), Château de Poncié (Fleurie, Beaujolais), Beaux Frères (Oregon, CA) and Tenuta di Ghizzano (Tuscany, Italy).
