Henriot Cuvée Hemera Brut Champagne 2006 (750ml)

It was in 1808, under Apolline Henriot, that Champagne Henriot was officially founded. She was the niece of the very famous Abbé Godinot, an erudite man who contributed to improvements in viticulture and the making of the Champagne wine.
Apolline, an enterprising woman of great character, sold her wines both in France and abroad.

The champagne wines became a huge success with royalty and it was only natural that Champagne Henriot became the favorite firstly at the Dutch court, then in Austria and Hungary with the Hapsburgs. She passed on her savoir-faire to her grandson, Ernest : a family tradition was born.

In 1875, Ernest enlarged the company's holdings and developped the House. At the end of the 19th century, the phylloxera crisis reached the Champagne vineyards but Emile Marguet, (father in law to Paul Henriot) was one of the first to reconstitute his vineyards with grafted stock.

From then on and from generation to generation, the House of Henriot has devoted all its talent to creating the most superb wines from grapes carefully selected from the great "terroirs" on the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs.

Yellow and gold-tinged in appearance. A constant stream of bubbles forms a lovely string of gossamer bubbles. Full-flavoured fruitiness, offering notes of apricot, stewed citrus fruits and pate de fruit, leads on the bouquet. Delicate roasted notes are peppered with a toasty and acacia honey-like quality. On the palate, pinot noir picks up the mantel, offering exquisite velvety structure, and masterful, delicate intensity. Delicate fruit flavours come to the fore, with notes of fresh and slightly candied citrus fruit. The aromatic intensity continues on the palate with subtle, honeyed, and delicately toasted notes.

The delicate bubbles form a steady stream of mousse with divine effervescence. The Champagne is brightly-tinged and golden yellow in appearance. The bouquet offers a wealth of elegant aromas, featuring notes of white flowers, linden leaf, and underpinned by a hint of vanilla. Candied fruit notes of apricot at the front of the palate pave the way for a hint of spice. The quintessence of the great terroirs. The magnificent freshness on the palate contrasts with the nose. Precise and mineral, a layer of iodine and saline accents are the characteristic of the most prestigious chalk parcels of the Côte des Blancs. This freshness complements the notes of ripe peach, nectarine and grapefruit. Notes of pastry and spiced fruit impart the lengthy finish. Uniquely irresistible. The low dosage of this cuvee plays its part in retaining and enhancing the natural beauty of the primary fruit.

An exceptional Champagne with unique ageing potential. To enjoy immediately or to keep for a further 5-10 years in the safety of a dark cellar to allow the Champagne to further flourish over time. For food-wine pairings, dare to enjoy with exotic and spicy dishes such as tagines or pad thai, meat in sauces and even game... Some meals suggestions : poultry with morel sauce, tagine with raisins and almonds, lobster with chili cream, turbot and marinated peppers, scallops with truffle, poultry and corn puree.

Critical Acclaim

WE97
Wine Enthusiast
This mature wine is finely structured with a delicate mousse and forward toast and brioche flavors. At the same time, the texture and the white fruits are still there, creating a magnificent Champagne with texture and richness in a taut, tight package.
WS94
Wine Spectator
Refined and minerally, with a pleasing plushness to the mouthfeel, this elegant Champagne offers delicate notes of juicy nectarine, grated ginger, toast point and spun honey, all backed by well-knit, zesty acidity, driving the lingering finish with accents of smoke and saline. Drink now through 2030.
JS94
James Suckling
Mature and generous nose of baked raspberries, figs, cocoa, honeycomb, marmalade, praline and apricot pie. It’s medium-to full-bodied with vibrant acidity and very creamy bubbles. Saline undertones with lovely salted-caramel notes. Expansive. Equal blend of Grand Cru pinot noir and chardonnay.
RP93
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Henriot's newly released 2006 Brut Cuvée Hemera is showing very nicely, offering up aromas of wheat toast, crisp stone fruit, dried white flowers, smoke and iodine. Medium to full-bodied, rich and enveloping, with a generous core of fruit, bright acids and a pretty pinpoint mousse, it concludes with a mouthwateringly sapid finish. The cuvée's rather reductive style marries well with the inherent opulence of the vintage, and it marks a notable step up over the inaugural 2005 in depth and concentration.