Henriot

Henriot was founded in 1808 in Reims by Apolline Henriot, who took over the wine-merchant business of her late father-in-law and rebuilt it as a Champagne house. Apolline ran the company through more than four decades, establishing Henriot as a respected mid-tier Maison through the early nineteenth century. The family retained operational control through six subsequent generations, an unusually continuous record that ended only in 2022 with the sale to a financial-investor consortium. The Henriot family also acquired Bouchard Père et Fils in Burgundy in 1995 and William Fèvre in Chablis in 1998, building a multi-region wine group around the Reims Maison.

• Founded 1808 by Apolline Henriot in Reims
• Family-owned through six generations until 2022
• Henriot family also acquired Bouchard Père et Fils (1995) and William Fèvre (1998)
• 2022 sale ended longest unbroken family ownership stretch among major Reims Maisons

Henriot's house identity rests on Chardonnay-led blending, distinguishing the Maison from the Pinot-dominant houses that crowd the Reims commercial tier. Estate parcels in Côte des Blancs Grand Cru villages (Avize, Chouilly, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger) provide chalk-driven Chardonnay backbone, while Pinot Noir from Verzenay and Verzy adds structural depth. NV cuvées typically run 50% Chardonnay or higher, with the prestige Cuvée Hemera weighing even further toward Chardonnay. The result is a house style that reads as fresher and more vertical than Pinot-dominant competitors at the same price point.

• Côte des Blancs Grand Cru parcels in Avize, Chouilly, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
• Pinot Noir parcels in Verzenay and Verzy provide structural depth
• NV cuvées typically 50%+ Chardonnay
• House style reads fresher and more vertical than Pinot-dominant peers

Cuvée Hemera, formerly known as Cuvée des Enchanteleurs, is Henriot's prestige tier and is currently released as a vintage cuvée drawing on Côte des Blancs and Pinot Noir Grand Cru sources. The cuvée was renamed in the early 2010s as part of a brand refresh, with Hemera referring to the Greek goddess of daylight and recognition. Recent vintages of Cuvée Hemera have been produced in roughly equal Chardonnay-Pinot Noir proportions, with extended bottle aging on lees (typically 8-10 years) before release. The cuvée sits at the prestige tier alongside major-house competitors at similar pricing, with Henriot's Côte des Blancs sourcing giving the wine a distinctly chalk-led character.

• Cuvée Hemera renamed from Cuvée des Enchanteleurs in early 2010s
• Hemera refers to the Greek goddess of daylight and recognition
• Vintage cuvée typically blended in roughly equal Chardonnay-Pinot Noir proportions
• Extended bottle aging on lees typically 8-10 years before release

In 2022, the Henriot family sold Champagne Henriot to a consortium of financial investors, ending more than two centuries of family ownership. The Bouchard Père et Fils and William Fèvre Burgundy holdings were sold separately to Artémis Domaines (Pinault family). The Henriot Maison sale represents the broader trend in Champagne ownership consolidation, with major-Maison family ownership now confined to a handful of houses including Bollinger, Pol Roger, Louis Roederer, Billecart-Salmon, and Drappier. The post-2022 ownership has retained Henriot's chef de cave and has not yet announced significant style or commercial reformulation.

• Sold to financial-investor consortium in 2022
• Bouchard Père et Fils and William Fèvre sold separately to Artémis Domaines
• Sale represents broader Champagne ownership consolidation trend
• Post-2022 ownership has retained chef de cave and house style continuity

Henriot Brut Souverain NV is the Maison's volume face, a Chardonnay-led blend showing the house's chalk-driven character at accessible price. Henriot Rosé NV uses red wine addition for a Pinot-led rosé d'assemblage, while Brut Vintage occupies the upper consumer tier. Cuvée Hemera Vintage and Cuvée Hemera Rosé Vintage anchor the prestige tier. Henriot's commercial position in international markets has grown steadily through the 2010s on the back of strong critical reception for the post-rebranding Cuvée Hemera releases, with the wine particularly visible in Asian markets where Chardonnay-led prestige Champagne has gained share against Pinot-dominant competitors.