2008 Henriot Millesime

The 2008 vintage will go down in history as one of the greatest and most celebrated vintages of the last two decades. Superb both for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, blends like Henriot’s Millesime 2008 performed particularly well, displaying both the elegance and tension of Grand Cru Chardonnay as well as the power and complexity of Pinot Noir perfectly. 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir aged on the lees for a full 6 years, this is an astonishingly good expression of the vintage. Burgundy critic Allen Meadows is clearly a fan: “I really like the sense of tension and energy to the intense, delineated and solidly complex flavours”. Champagne expert Michael Edwards awarded a superb 96 points, praising “the perfect 50/50 balance of mineral-stamped Chardonnay and powerful, masculine Pinot [that] makes this a champagne for patient drinkers”. Having had the opportunity to taste this under-the-radar gem twice, we were struck by how primary and tightly wound it still is two years since first tasting. Whilst having opened up beautifully it remains one of the most elegant, youthful 2008s we have tasted and has stunning ageing potential. Henriot has been under the same family ownership since it was founded in 1808, by Apolline Henriot. Cellar Master at the time this was made, Laurent Fresnet was named “Sparkling Winemaker of the Year” by International Wine Challenge in 2015 and 2016; clearly a very talented man. The 2008, which was so tight and almost austere when tasted on release two years ago, is entering a much more open, exuberant phase. The fruit profile is wonderfully fresh and wide-ranging, from rich lemon curd to vivacious lemon sherbets, to white peach, apricot kernel and touches of exotic mango and passion fruit. The autolytic notes perfectly harmonise, evoking freshly baked lemon tarts with sweet shortcrust pastry. The palate is held together by a structured tension, linearity and chalky minerality, leading to a long, fresh and precise finish. Stunning ageing potential here.