Apolline Henriot founded Maison Henriot in 1808 with the desire to shed light on her land through a Champagne. She had a deep love for the Champagne region, the beauty of its vines and its landscapes. Apolline Henriot then developed a singular know-how, perpetuated for more than two centuries by the Henriot family. The Art of Blending and the Culture of diversity of Terroirs are fundamental to them.
The Henriot "L'Inattendue" (Henriot "Unexpected") cuvée is a creation reflecting a Terroir which came out as exceptionally amazing and astonishing during the tasting of the wines from a single harvest. This first "L'Inattendue" creation from Maison Henriot is a wine from the 2016 harvest. It is exclusively composed of Chardonnay Grand Cru. The Côte des Blancs Terroir, which is historical for Maison Henriot and includes the vineyard of Avize, makes up the blend of this cuvée.
The Côte des Blancs & the Grand Cru of Avize
On the winegrowing hillside of the Côte des Blancs, different chalk facies are visible, from the bottom of the hillside to a high limit. This chalk is covered, on the upper part, by hard clay and limestone from the Tertiary (65 to 25 million years ago). The Grand Cru of Avize is an integral part of the Côte des Blancs. It is revealed here through Henriot L'inattendue 2016 which perfectly reflects this geological profile. Historically, Chardonnay has been planted on this terroir, offering a perfect balance between soil, vine, and climate.
Terroir of the Côte des Blancs, vineyard of Avize