# Brut Millésime (2015)

- **Producer:** Champagne Henriot
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
- **Region:** Champagne, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €85
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, pear, peach, lemon, grapefruit, blossom, brioche, toast, butter, pastry, biscuit, honey, almond, hazelnut, dried apricot

## About this wine

Maison Henriot, founded in 1808 by Apolline Henriot, is one of the rare independent, family-run Champagne houses with over two centuries of history. Known for its luminous, Chardonnay-driven style, the house crafts its Millésime only in exceptional years. The 2015 vintage captures a year of climatic extremes, characterized by a hot, dry summer that yielded grapes of remarkable concentration, structure, and balance, reflecting the unique terroir of Henriot's Grand and Premier Cru vineyards.

## Interesting facts

- Maison Henriot was founded in 1808 by Apolline Henriot, making it one of the few houses established and run by a woman from its inception.
- The 2015 vintage was defined by a scorching summer, resulting in one of the highest levels of grape sugar concentration in recent decades.
- This cuvée is aged for at least eight years in Gallo-Roman chalk cellars dug deep beneath the streets of Reims.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and fine effervescence of this vintage Champagne effortlessly cut through rich, buttery, and fatty textures, while its complex autolytic character (brioche, toasted nuts) beautifully mirrors earthy flavors like truffles, wild mushrooms, and aged cheeses.

## Wine making process

This vintage Champagne is crafted from an equal blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sourced primarily from prestigious Grand and Premier Cru vineyards in the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats to preserve freshness, followed by full malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged on its lees in the house's historic chalk cellars for a minimum of eight years before disgorgement, finished with a precise, low Brut dosage.