Organic is important, but not necessarily the best. It is but one part of the equation. We have to be sustainable. We follow the impact in terms of carbon. In this case, we experiment a lot.
This adventure includes a trip to “The City” which for me, is San Francisco. I will be tasting four of the latest champagne releases by Champagne Henriot. I’m curious about both the champagne, but also the House. The Maison. Even more so about their Chef de Cave, Alice Tetienne. But before we delve into that, let’s take a look at Champagne Henriot. The story is not singular in Champagne’s history, but it is a compelling one resulting in the creation of a seven-generation strong Domaine.
How it Began
A young woman of Reims, France named Apolline and her husband, Nicolas Henriot married in 1794. For her part, Apolline entered the marriage with Pinot Noir grapes bequeathed for the union. Together they would grow vines and make wine until Nicolas’ untimely death in 1808. Apolline was a woman of drive and determination. At just 33 she founded her own champagne house, Veuve Henriot Ainé. Which would later be called Champagne Henriot.
Today, Alice Tetienne is the Chef de Cave at Henriot.
What precisely is a Chef de Cave, aka cellar master? Here in the United States, it usually means one who cares for the cellar and the inventory of said cellar. But it varies a bit from winery to winery, depending on the size of the facility and the team’s skill sets.
In this unique case, the Chef de Cave is the viticulturist, the winemaker, while also overseeing the blending process. Additionally, she maintains a close bond with the Maison’s growers. To fit this dynamic and challenging role, Alice Tetienne, an accomplished and talented player in both the growing and making of champagne, was tapped. Her role at Champagne Henriot is multifaceted, playing on her experience, acumen, and depth of knowledge.
She’s a worthy find. Her background reads like a modus operandi of one who is precise and deliberate with their path in life. To her credit, many of the opportunities, including Henriot, found her. From working in Burgundy to other French vineyards, she worked at Nicolas Feuillatte and later in the winemaking & tasting committee at Krug for five years prior to joining Champagne Henriot.
Born and raised in Châlons-en-Champagne. Her memories of wine as a young girl are vivid, as her family had many friends in this tight-knit community. She was influenced early on by her proximity and the culture she grew up in. Feeling naturally connected to this industry as if it were part of her fabric, her being.
There were seasons she worked in the vineyard. It was tradition to participate in the harvest and pansage (pruning the vines).It was the culture of the plants, nature, and seasons that fascinated her. She cherished her time outdoors. Watching the transformation of the vineyards from one season to the next was captivating. Naturally, her first passion for wine was viticulture. The fascination with being able to express terroir so vividly would take her from viticulture into winemaking.
She was recruited by Henriot. And they hit all the marks with Alice in addressing her career path. Their cellar master was leaving, and they wanted to take time to find the right person for the role. This champagne house has done the most for the area, the vineyards, and the Champagne area. They explained their focus on the environment. It would afford her the opportunity to work with very important growers and long-term relationships. Here the cellar master was the director of the vine and the wine. So she could influence and direct every aspect of the wine. It was a collective mindset. From the vineyard to the bottle. They presented every point she needed in her life. Treating her like a flower. It was exactly what she needed.
Her youth is an unavoidable topic. At just 32 years of age, she has achieved what many wait their entire lives to. Her background, education, drive, ambition, and success at the top houses have placed her among the creme de la creme. The primary role at one of the most important Champagne Houses in Champagne. With a pedigree in Champagne experience outshining many. This role defies history in other wine regions around the world, but not in Champagne. Female leadership in top roles in Champagne is also celebrated at Krug, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Piper-Heidsieck, Jacquart, Perrier-Jouët, Drappier, and more.
Women-Centric Quality of Champagne Henriot: This house is a small house by size, not by name. There are 140 hectares under vine of the growers, primarily premier crus and grand cru. The estate itself has 36 hectares of exceptional terroir. The plots are all very close in proximity giving the team so Alice is able to take very quick and precise action in the vineyard. She works personally with each of the grower families that are considered part of their team. It’s one of her favorite aspects of her work.
Alice Tetienne of Champagne Henriot Organic is important, but not necessarily the best. It is but one part of the equation. We have to be
Barodlino has a rich history in both wine and culture. There is no better Rosé that takes the beauty of the region and expresses it than Chiaretto Rosé.
Could it be that this region, today known as the Fastest Growing Wine Region in the United States is the world’s next Napa Valley? This is Idaho Wine Country.
The 55 judges awarded silver, gold and grand gold medals to wines from 25 countries.
At the beginning of March, in the @paysdocigpwines region of Southern France, over 1,200 #rosé wines from across the globe competed for the highly coveted @concoursmondial de Bruxelles medals. The @vinolok_global international Revelation Trophy was awarded this year to a rosé wine from #Italy – Y by 11 Minutes Rosé – produced by @pasquawines in #Veneto. Well done!
The Winners of the International Wine competition on Rosé for 2023 are in:
The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is an international wine competition that takes place annually and is considered one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the world. The competition is held in a different location each year, and it attracts thousands of entries from winemakers around the world. The focus of the competition is on identifying wines of high quality that are representative of their region and grape variety.
In recent years, the competition has added a separate category for rosé wines, recognizing the growing popularity and diversity of this style of wine. The competition judges rosé wines on their color, aroma, taste, and overall balance, with the aim of identifying the best examples of the style from around the world.
Winning a medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles can have a significant impact on a winery`s reputation and sales, as it is widely recognized as a mark of quality and excellence. The competition also provides an opportunity for winemakers to receive feedback from a panel of international experts, helping them to refine their techniques and improve their wines.
Winners link is: https://resultats.concoursmondial.com/en/results/2023
Congrats to all the Rose producers who participated!
#WineCompetition #winetasting #rosé #winelover #trendingwine #whattodrink #concoursmondialdebruxelles #paysdoc #montpelier #france #Veneto #winemedals #thewinesiren #wineoclock #winerating #winejudge
When great viticulture is an obsession you chose wisely and well. @vitnerd for @lecole41 on sustainability, great viticulture and award winning passion for vines.
WATCH WITH LINK IN BIO: SADIE DRURY - VINEYARD MANAGER
Sadie Drury is a Walla Walla native who has been passionate about agriculture since her first job of picking strawberries at the age of 12. In 2007, Sadie decided to combine her passion for agriculture with her love for wine by attending the Center for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College and pursuing a career in viticulture. In 2008, Sadie started an internship at Ciel du Cheval Vineyard where she moved up the ranks to Assistant Vineyard Manager. Sadie joined the North Slope Management team in early 2013 and took over the reins as GM later that year. She currently manages 6 vineyards including the famed Seven Hills Vineyard. Sadie is the current Chair for the Washington State Wine Commission. She is the 2019 Power’s Sabbatical Recipient, the 2020 Washington Winegrowers Erick Hanson Memorial Grower of the Year, and a 2021 Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 Tastemaker.
#WashingtonWine #WallaWalla #lecole #Viticulture #sustainable #Sustainability #Vine #winelover #DrinkSustainable #TheWineSiren #SevenHills #wineeducation
https://www.youtube.com/live/PiWKkhnre94
The Ritz, Paris.
A destination since 1898, the Ritz Paris is one of the most iconic hotels in Paris.
There is no better place to return with a couple of my most cherished friends and begin our dinner and catch up session with an exquisite bottle of Extra Brut
Champagne Barons de Rothschild. Made from Chardonnay 60%;Reserve wines, the majority of which
are kept in their perpetual reserve (solera) 40%,
Pinot Noir 40%,
Grands and
Premiers crus 85%
Dosage 1.5 g/L
Ageing 4 years minimum
Exquisite perlage enhanced by notes of minerality and salinity, the brioche like aromas reveal notes of pear and fig. Delightfully well balanced its arômatic finish satisfies. This beauty is cellar worthy and will reveal its riches for years to come.
The stunning facade has a place in history since 1705. Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the most famous architect of the Baroque period, drew the initial design for Louis XIV.
The luminaries who frequented the hotel were many, Marcel Proust, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Many are the writers and artists inspired by the Ritz in their work as well. Hemingway for The Sun Also Rises and F. Scott Fitzgerald for Tender is the Night. In fact, the hotel’s “Bar Hemingway” was named for the author.
For 💋🍷💋#TheWineSiren a return to the Ritz is a return to the incredible history of Paris and a moment of great drinks and bites with dear friends. From the moment you cross the threshold the inviting aroma and views of luxurious surroundings envelope you.
Do you Ritz?
Photos
1. The Ritz Paris champagne. Pure deliciousness. Notes below.
2. The stage is set at your entrance. Visuals and aroma envelope your senses.
3. Cherished Parisian friends to share the experience with.
4. The stage is set at @barvendome
5. Fresh truffles with French fries
6. Probably the best steak tartare on the planet. Served mild, spicy or extra spicy . Texture and rich flavor abound.
7. Just one of the lovely cocktails served.
8. The vibe at Bar Vendome
9. The Hemingway Bar . Very few seats and always packed.
10. And the regroup at the end of the evening. This is where memories are made.
#Paris #ritzparis #TheWineSiren #champagnerothschild
From Carcassonne to Montpelier the beauty of @paysdocigpwines shines through. I`ll share more on my newest discoveries when I`m back in the US .
The bar @hotelricherdebelleval .... incredible. Have you been?!
#winetravel #winetraveler #thewinesiren #kellymitchell #wine #winelover #ginlover #barsofinstagram #beautifuldestinations #wheretofindme #france #montpellier #justdrinks #cocktailtime
Organic is important, but not necessarily the best. It is but one part of the equation. We have to be sustainable. We follow the impact in terms of carbon. In this case, we experiment a lot.
Today we have three challenges:
Our viticulture now needs to be transformed. We don’t have something to change in winemaking, but rather in the vineyard. We have created a global project, known as Alliance Terroirs based on three pillars.
The 1st pillar: Is based on the terroir. They do a lot of analysis on the vineyard and the soil, the plant and the leaves, this is for both their vineyards and that of their growers.” Saturation on plants analytics on leaves, organic material on the soil etc. They analyze the plants every year. Everything they do is a service of the area. They share their analysis with the official organization to help the Champagne area with the knowledge.
2nd pillar: Thanks to the knowledge, they can adapt the knowledge to every patch of the vine and evaluate. Precision is key. You do only what the plants need. Whether it’s carbon or treatment needed.
3rd Pillar: All the positive impact you can create on the vineyard. Biodiversity, by planting a lot of different plant families. This creates an organic conversion in the vineyards, and with the growers.
With over 200 years of making great champagne under their belts Champagne Henriot and the changing landscape of the world, I had asked Alice some specific questions about climate change, adapting to the changing environment, and the process of making champagne. Further, we tasted these remarkable vintages and got into the particulars of winegrowing and winemaking.
TWS (The Wine Siren): Tell us about tradition vs experimentation for Champagne Henriot.
Tetienne: We respect the story in the way of tradition,. We don’t innovate a lot in winemaking. Our philosophy at Henriot is to express the vineyards through Champagne. Make blends. We respect the story first. We do want to be modern we adapt ourselves to things around us. So today, we change with climate change and our minds about viticulture. In the 70s, champagne was vinified in oak barrels. Before the 70s, we had new equipment, steel tanks, that arrived in Champagne. Joseph Henriot, the 7th generation, thought there was great opportunity to age the reserve wines this way. Because in his mind a perfect champagne needed to have old reserve wine. That’s why he decided to use stainless steel. He thought it was good to consider the primary profile of the terroir and express better the terroir without adding another influence with aromatic oak barrels. It’s not innovation but adaptation.
TWS: How has climate change impacted the vineyards?
Tetienne: We have more extremes in terms of weather. It’s not just global warming. Last year it was a year of no sun. Just two weeks. It was a season without the sun in 2021. 2022 conversely, was a record for sunshine. We had more sun than ever.
TWS: How does this impact how you grow?
Tetienne: During the harvest, we follow the maturity, we taste the grapes, we analyze the grapes, and normally, we have the acidity that decreases, the sugar that increases, and the aroma that increases. In the past, we’ve had these three parameters occur simultaneously. Now it’s disconnected. You can have the sugar you need. The acidity has disappeared, and the aromatic disappears. You have to be more present and patient. So you have to wait for the dynamics to return.
TWS: How often are you in the vineyards prior to harvest?
Tetienne: We have 200 plots under vine. Some micro plots and some bigger ones. I walk all of the plots every day. We make a selection of grapes, and we taste. From the beginning of the harvest to the end, I taste the grapes every day.
TWS: How is technology making your life easier or more difficult?
Tetienne: More difficult. The more you know the less you know. We can’t focus on the past and our experiences because the landscape changes every season.
TWS: What is your opinion on so-called “wine experts”?
Tetienne: There are no experts in wine. We have to be humble. Everything changes. The objective of wine is to take pleasure. We cannot be 100% experts because we cannot explain or know everything. The weather we cannot explain. The evolution of nature we cannot explain. The biodiversity that changes from one year to the next we cannot explain. Every aspect of the process has so many variables.
TWS: Lots of big changes happening in Bordeaux. Varieties etc. Is Champagne doing any experimenting to adapt to climate change?
Tetienne: Yes, we have a new variety, Voltis. They are doing experiments in the vineyard to see if the quality is good or not. It is resistant to fungus, and the initiative is in response to the increase of diseases in the vineyard.
Note: Her preference is to find a solution working with the seven established varieties of Champagne. The best known are Pinot Meunière, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also include Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Petit Messier and Arbanne.
TWS: How does your tasting committee work?
Tetienne: We are four people. Blending is a few months of work, not a few days. Generally from November to April. When I taste the wine, I imagine where I will put the wine, which cuvée, and how I will organize it. At least one per cru from the last harvest. This creates the foundation. Because perceptions vary, the other people on the committee will also provide opinions. In April, I am in my office very focused. Doing different versions of blends and selecting the best. If we are not convinced, we continue the exercise. At the end of the sessions, I will make the final decision. Focus is a critical part of this process. There is a quiet private house in the vineyard where they often receive guests. When the blend is pure, I go to the house to do the evaluations alone. Without interruption.
Certification is not the end. We need to take sustainability further!
Brut Souverain: one of the most historic. This blend includes the first three original crus. Today a blend of 29 crus from the ‘70’s to 2016 go into this bottle. It’s vibrant and alive. Bright citrus, red fruit, scintillating minerality. A long vivacious finish. Lusty aromatics and complex.
Blended with 45% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 15% Meunier.
NV Blanc de Blancs : 100% Chardonnay, includes 12 crus. At least 3 years of aging. Lovely bright tropical fruit, a lively acidity and a compelling mousse like mouth feel. Exquisite!
2006 Cuvée Hemera:
The Crus: Veroza, Verzenay, Mailly-Champagne in Montaigne de Reims. Alize, Chouilly, Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger in Côtes des Blancs
100% Grand Crus
12 years minimum aging.
A marked play on finesse and precision. Long lengthy finish, voluptuous in expression, and brilliant in its finesse.
The Belle of the Ball:
2016: L’inattendue Chardonnay Grand Cru
100% Grand Cru
100% Chardonnay
Crisp, tightly knit, with a luminous expression. There is a chalky nuance and a hint of yeast. The delicate nuance of Meyer lemon compliments the minerality. Pure deliciousness!
Visit ChampagneHenriot.Com for more!
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