Woodman Wines & Spirits presents a trifecta of exceptional Champagnes…
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.” – Mark Twain
Champagne is more than something to grease the wheels of a celebration. Yes, Champagne is certainly the libation of which to toast a special event…but it’s first and foremost, a wine. And it’s perhaps the most versatile wine out there. It works perfectly as an aperitif, and it marries with practically any dish. It’s at once complex and light-hearted. You can trifle with it or drink it.
So rather than opening a bottle of Champagne to celebrate, maybe we should open a bottle and celebrate the wine itself. We can’t think of a better way to kick off the celebration than with a trio of outstanding, multi-award-winning wines from the prestigious Maison Henriot.
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Champagne Henriot Brut Rosé Millesime 2012 is a rare release. It is made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay exclusively from Premier and Grands Crus vineyards. A rollercoaster of a vintage, 2012 started cold and wet, but in the end, against all expectations, turned out be a great vintage.
In the words of Decanter magazine, “Aromas of smoke and raspberry cede to a delightful mousse on the palate, with brisk acidity propelling complex notes of pear, melon and brioche. Well-judged, elegant and impressively long, this never wavers in its elegance.” Score – 97 (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2020).
Champagne Henriot Brut Rosé Millesime 2012
VINTAGES No. 14846; $152.95
Shop in store or buy online
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We are also pleased to be able to offer the prestige cuvée Champagne Henriot Cuvée Hemera 2006. Only made in an exceptional vintage, the Cuvée is sculpted from a blend of the finest Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs in equal parts.
Vintage-dated Champagnes such as this, with extended lees aging, display a full-flavoured fruitiness, with notes of apricot, stewed citrus fruits, and toasty undertones and an acacia honey-like quality. On the palate, Pinot Noir picks up the mantel, offering exquisite velvety structure. The aromatic intensity continues on the palate, with subtle, honeyed, delicately toasted notes. The low dosage (balancing sweetness) plays a part in retaining and enhancing the natural beauty of the wine’s primary characteristics. Drinking beautifully now, this outstanding Champagne has the capacity to age and develop for a further decade and beyond. A particularly perceptible structure with an elegant and melting touch of tannins.
Champagne Henriot Cuvée Hemera 2006
VINTAGES No. 30976; $289
Available via the LCBO Cellar Collection on August 3.
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Finally, available via our consignment warehouse, is the Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain N/V ($84.99). The Brut Souverain is the most historical cuvée of Maison Henriot, and was the first cuvée produced by Apolline Henriot in 1808. According to Apolline, one year was not enough to tell the story of the terroirs, so she decided to put wines in reserve each year to incorporate them into a future blend.
“A well-structured Champagne, with racy acidity and a smoke- and chalk-tinged minerally underpinning, this has a fine and creamy texture that becomes a lacy frame for flavors of fresh-cut apple, star fruit, salted almond and a pleasingly bitter hint of pink grapefruit pith. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.” Score – 91 points (Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, November 2022).
Call us at 416-767-5114, or email orders@woodmanws.com to place an order. We invite you to celebrate the ultimate celebration wine with these offerings from Maison Henriot.
