Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain NV

Description

Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain NV is Champagne Henriot’s flagship non-vintage Champagne and premium Champagne offering. This elegant dry Champagne represents a classic Méthode Champenoise blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, showcasing the finest French Champagne tradition.

History of Champagne Henriot

The Henriot family can trace their lineage back to 1640 in Reims, where they worked in textiles and wine brokerage; however, this historic Champagne house was not officially founded until 1808 by Apolline Henriot. Maison Henriot became hugely successful with royalty and was a favourite at the Dutch and Austrian courts and with the Habsburgs in Hungary. The House of Henriot remains one of the last independent Champagne producers and family-owned Champagne houses, devoted to creating the finest wines from grapes carefully selected from the great Champagne terroir on the Montagne de Reims and the prestigious Côte des Blancs.

Champagne Henriot Cellars

The extended ageing process takes place in Champagne Henriot’s historic chalk cellars beneath Reims, where ancient cave ageing chambers extend 18 metres underground. These natural underground storage facilities maintain perfect conditions with consistent temperatures of 11°C and 98% humidity year-round. This traditional Champagne maker’s commitment to excellence means their wines undergo extended maturation periods that typically exceed legal requirements by 100%, allowing each grape variety in this complex Champagne to develop its distinctive character fully. This patient approach ensures every cuvée reaches optimal complexity and refinement before release.

Complexity and Precision

Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain was created, according to Apolline Henriot, following a vintage where there were insufficient differences to distinguish the personality of the different terroirs. Madame Henriot therefore decided to keep reserve wines every year to create the final Champagne assemblage afterwards. Thus, this balanced Champagne represents a blend of each of the vineyard’s crus expressed through different periods of their development, carefully chosen by Laurent Fresnet, Henriot’s Cellar Master, using traditional methods.

Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain Composition

• Grape Varieties: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Champagne blend, with Pinot Meunier adding delicate fruity notes
• Chardonnay Source: Principally sourced from the prestigious Côte des Blancs Grand Cru vineyards
• Pinot Noir Source: Mainly from the renowned Montagne de Reims Premier Cru terroir
• Blend: 45% Pinot Noir, around 40% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier
• Cru Selection: Fruit carefully selected from 29 different crus
• Reserve Wines: Between 30 to 50% reserve wines in the assemblage (varies annually)
• Maturation: At least 4 years of ageing on lees using traditional bottle fermentation
• Dosage: Low dosage Champagne at approximately 8g/l for optimal balance and wine maturity

This luxury sparkling wine exemplifies the finest traditions of French Champagne making, perfect as an aperitif Champagne or for special occasion celebrations.

Why Is It called Souverain?

This cuvée was named Brut Souverain by Ernest Henriot, Apolline’s grandson, when the House was appointed the official champagne supplier to the Courts of the King of Holland and of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary.