2008 Champagne Henriot, Cuvée Hemera, Brut

About to be released. A classic year with typical weather and 'perfect parameters' according to chef de cave Alice Tétienne. Dosage 5 g/l (Brut no longer appears on the front label). Disgorged November 2022.Discreet nose, lovely tight-knit texture and lots of energy. Chiselled and not nearly at peak but with a really long and interesting aftertaste.Drink 2023 - 2032jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com (March 2023)

A blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir, the 2008 Brut Cuvée Hemera has a lively first nose of candied lemon and hints of lime and smoke, with aromas of quince, apple and spring flowers. With aeration, notes of almonds and almond flowers come to the fore. On the palate, there is a nervy tension that energizes its fine, crystalline texture. This is an upright and elegant Champagne with a mouthwateringly long, airy finish. After some time in the glass, it evolves toward notes of smoke, flint, chalk and vanilla. It will drink at its peak in three years.Drink 2023 - 2030Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate (April 2023)

Complexity is the watchword of 2008, reflected by the fact that Alice Tétienne is unable to pick a single ‘leading’ cru to define its characteristics; in fact, the wine boasts both the purity and luminosity of the Chardonnay village of Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger and at the same time the generosity and latent power of the Pinot Noir which comes from the grand cru of Verzenay. Only disgorged four months previously, the wine is reticent, but only up to a point. One can already discern the seductive marriage of power and elegance, which looks set to inform its future. Rapier acidity already sits comfortably with well-upholstered fruit, and the combination lends intimations of a long and happy evolution. Disgorged: November 2022. Dosage: 5g/L.Drink 2023 - 2035Simon Field MW, Decanter.com (March 2023)