Le Domaine D’Henri - 8.21, Blanc de Blancs, Brut Nature, Pet Nat, France (2020)

TASTING NOTES

An absolute treat of toasted biscuits, baked apples & pears, autolytic yeastiness and jasmine. Long, persistent finish with a really convincing Champagne-like profile.  

Despite being closer to and sharing more characteristics with Champagne than its home appellation Bourgogne/Burgundy, Chablis is not known for sparkling wine...but top Chablis producer Margaux Laroche of Le Domaine d'Henri demonstrates why it should be!

8.21 means 821 days or 27 months which is the minimum time to produce this Pet Nat, 12 months in the vineyard to produce the grapes, then 15 months minimum in the cellar for the second fermentation and ageing.

Laroche is a famous name in Chablis, with family history dating as far back as 1695. Michel Laroche is the patriarch of the family and after decades as the director of Domaine Laroche, he decided in 2010 to sell his stake in the business and set up a smaller domaine, named after his father Henri. Michel had been leasing his private vineyards to the Laroche brand for many years and these vineyards now form the core of the D'Henri range, including the 1er Cru Fourchaume vineyard where the oldest parcel was planted in 1937.

The vineyards are farmed according to organic principles and the domaine has undertaken a study of its terroirs, with the help of renowned soil specialist Claude Bourguignon. Farming techniques are now adapted to different soil types to help fully express the specific qualities of each site. Any new plantings are done using cuttings from the oldest vines in Fourchaume.