Le Domaine d'Henri
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Le Domaine d'Henri,
Ready, but will improve,
Named after his father, Le Domaine d’Henri is Michel Laroche’s legacy to his children. This wine presents an excellent opportunity to sample the “once in a generation” 2014 vintage – which is renowned for its uniformly high quality across the region. With outstanding freshness, crisp citrus fruits, and Chablis’s trademark oyster-shell aromas, this is a wonderful wine which pairs beautifully with shellfish and lighter white meat dishes.
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Le Domaine d'Henri,
Ready, but will keep,
The fruit for the cuvée Saint Pierre (named after a church in the town of Chablis) hails from prized parcels in the lieu-dit of Les Chaumes, in Maligny. The soil here is relatively rich in clay, resulting in a more concentrated, age-worthy wine than most village Chablis. It is raised primarily in stainless steel, but around 10% is aged in used oak barrels. Expect classic aromas of zested lemons and crushed oyster shell, leading to a palate that’s medium-full yet fresh and energetic. A natural accompaniment to shellfish, this also works well with all manner of white meat dishes. Drink now to 2024.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Le Domaine d'Henri,
Ready, but will improve,
The domaine has been making this wine since the 2015 vintage, but it has come into its own in 2017. The nose offers austere notes of grass, citrus fruit and some flint. The palate is, however, richer with more generosity and mid-palate breadth, culminating in a pleasing bitterness on the finish. Drink 2020-2025.
Michel’s daughter Margaux is taking a more active role in both the cellar and vineyard. She explained that they have been reducing sulphur levels during the winemaking process, believing that this allows the terroir to express itself better. They also no longer fine or filter the wines, the goal being to preserve as much flavour as possible in the final bottle. Yields are down by 50 percent overall, their aspersion system in Fourchaume rescuing them from the worst of the frost. Margaux feels 2017 is a classic Chablis vintage, with freshness and minerality.
Michel’s daughter Margaux is taking a more active role in both the cellar and vineyard. She explained that they have been reducing sulphur levels during the winemaking process, believing that this allows the terroir to express itself better. They also no longer fine or filter the wines, the goal being to preserve as much flavour as possible in the final bottle. Yields are down by 50 percent overall, their aspersion system in Fourchaume rescuing them from the worst of the frost. Margaux feels 2017 is a classic Chablis vintage, with freshness and minerality.
Le Domaine d'Henri,
Ready, but will improve,
With a fine, pale colour, the nose is restrained in youth, but there is a delicious wealth of fruit on the palate, folded into a rich background and finishing in fresh style. This is a very stylish bottling of Fourchaume. Drink 2019-2023.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Visiting the domaine during the 2015 harvest, we found Margaux Laroche beaming like a cat with two tails. The storm which had dropped hail over other vineyards had merely provided much needed water for their Fourchaume vines. The grapes badly needed the extra juice which the rains provided, and the extra hang time allowed for them to assimilate the water usefully and then regain their equilibrium behind. The resulting wines are terrific.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Visiting the domaine during the 2015 harvest, we found Margaux Laroche beaming like a cat with two tails. The storm which had dropped hail over other vineyards had merely provided much needed water for their Fourchaume vines. The grapes badly needed the extra juice which the rains provided, and the extra hang time allowed for them to assimilate the water usefully and then regain their equilibrium behind. The resulting wines are terrific.
Le Domaine d'Henri,
Ready, but will improve,
From vines approaching 50 years of age, 25 percent of the wine is fermented and raised in older oak barrels. Extraordinarily fine and restrained for arguably Chablis’s most exuberant Premier Cru, this is an intense, precise wine with real focus. Lots of fine mineral notes wrapped up in viscous citrus fruit give a wonderful, textured finish. Drink 2022-2028.
Michel’s daughter Margaux is taking a more active role in both the cellar and vineyard. She explained that they have been reducing sulphur levels during the winemaking process, believing that this allows the terroir to express itself better. They also no longer fine or filter the wines, the goal being to preserve as much flavour as possible in the final bottle. Yields are down by 50 percent overall, their aspersion system in Fourchaume rescuing them from the worst of the frost. Margaux feels 2017 is a classic Chablis vintage, with freshness and minerality.
Michel’s daughter Margaux is taking a more active role in both the cellar and vineyard. She explained that they have been reducing sulphur levels during the winemaking process, believing that this allows the terroir to express itself better. They also no longer fine or filter the wines, the goal being to preserve as much flavour as possible in the final bottle. Yields are down by 50 percent overall, their aspersion system in Fourchaume rescuing them from the worst of the frost. Margaux feels 2017 is a classic Chablis vintage, with freshness and minerality.
Le Domaine d'Henri,
Ready, but will improve,
This is the classic Héritage plot of now 80-year-old vines in L’Ardillier, around a third of the wine seeing oak (all old). It is more densely packed and tightly wound than L’Homme Mort, showing a viscous power and plenty of glycerol laid over a rigid skeletal structure. The chewy finish is incredibly lengthy and promises a long future. Drink 2022-2030.
Michel’s daughter Margaux is taking a more active role in both the cellar and vineyard. She explained that they have been reducing sulphur levels during the winemaking process, believing that this allows the terroir to express itself better. They also no longer fine or filter the wines, the goal being to preserve as much flavour as possible in the final bottle. Yields are down by 50 percent overall, their aspersion system in Fourchaume rescuing them from the worst of the frost. Margaux feels 2017 is a classic Chablis vintage, with freshness and minerality.
Michel’s daughter Margaux is taking a more active role in both the cellar and vineyard. She explained that they have been reducing sulphur levels during the winemaking process, believing that this allows the terroir to express itself better. They also no longer fine or filter the wines, the goal being to preserve as much flavour as possible in the final bottle. Yields are down by 50 percent overall, their aspersion system in Fourchaume rescuing them from the worst of the frost. Margaux feels 2017 is a classic Chablis vintage, with freshness and minerality.
Le Domaine d'Henri,
Ready, but will improve,
These old vines, the last to be picked, are from the end of l'Homme Mort sector, a cooler site which delivers grapes with thick skins and hence great concentration of flavour, especially after a long but very gentle pressing. The 2015 has lovely, fresh, concentrated fruit; a powerful structure with good tannins; and a complex, richly fruited finish. There are multiple layers of flavour, waves of pure white fruit and a few fresh plums too. Drink 2019-2024.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Visiting the domaine during the 2015 harvest, we found Margaux Laroche beaming like a cat with two tails. The storm which had dropped hail over other vineyards had merely provided much needed water for their Fourchaume vines. The grapes badly needed the extra juice which the rains provided, and the extra hang time allowed for them to assimilate the water usefully and then regain their equilibrium behind. The resulting wines are terrific.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Visiting the domaine during the 2015 harvest, we found Margaux Laroche beaming like a cat with two tails. The storm which had dropped hail over other vineyards had merely provided much needed water for their Fourchaume vines. The grapes badly needed the extra juice which the rains provided, and the extra hang time allowed for them to assimilate the water usefully and then regain their equilibrium behind. The resulting wines are terrific.
Le Domaine d'Henri,
Ready, but will improve,
A glorious, pale, bright appearance, with dense white fruit – not overtly juicy but with a great deal in reserve. There’s enormous weight behind this, with some fresh pear notes, and cashmere-like texture alongside the austerity of youth.
The third vintage at Domaine d’Henri is the best to date, and so they make their debut in our en primeur brochure. The grapes were hand picked between the 17th and 25th September, a long enough window to allow each plot to reach the desired degree of ripeness, and the wines have seen about 25 percent barrel-ageing. They will not be bottled until the spring.
The third vintage at Domaine d’Henri is the best to date, and so they make their debut in our en primeur brochure. The grapes were hand picked between the 17th and 25th September, a long enough window to allow each plot to reach the desired degree of ripeness, and the wines have seen about 25 percent barrel-ageing. They will not be bottled until the spring.
Le Domaine d'Henri,
Ready, but will improve,
From seven plots across all parts of Fourchaume, totalling two hectares of vines in all, planted in 1970. One fifth of the wine is barrel fermented. Fine pale colour with a very charming nose, with steel behind. Very racy, white fruit, extremely impressive. superb length. Already delicious but great potential to go further. Drink 2014-2018
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director
Domaine d’Henri is a new producer to Berry Bros. & Rudd since 2015, but one which has impressed us all with their considered and thoughtful winemaking and the use of old vines is the key here.
Vieilles Vignes is produced from vineyards planted in 1970, from one of the finest 1er Cru sites. Vinified predominately in stainless steel tanks (79%) to preserve the minerality and freshness, and in oak barrels (21%) of 228-litres so as to add more complex notes, weight and texture (you cannot taste wood). No hurry here as it will age very well until 2020 or beyond, but very lovely now.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director
Domaine d’Henri is a new producer to Berry Bros. & Rudd since 2015, but one which has impressed us all with their considered and thoughtful winemaking and the use of old vines is the key here.
Vieilles Vignes is produced from vineyards planted in 1970, from one of the finest 1er Cru sites. Vinified predominately in stainless steel tanks (79%) to preserve the minerality and freshness, and in oak barrels (21%) of 228-litres so as to add more complex notes, weight and texture (you cannot taste wood). No hurry here as it will age very well until 2020 or beyond, but very lovely now.
Showing 1-10 out of 10 items
The domaine is currently converting to organic viticulture, while the objective in the winery is to allow each different terroir to express itself. Each parcel is therefore vinified separately, using only natural yeast. Between 10 and 35% of any given wine is aged in barrel depending on the vintage and cuvée – just the right amount to highlight, rather than mask, the startling purity of the domaine’s wines.
Michel’s daughter Margaux, who shares her father’s dynamism, is increasingly responsible for the commercial side of the business.