1989 Henriot Millesime (2019 disgorgement)

Just 75 individual jeroboams of this 1989 vintage Champagne were disgorged in October 2019 after spending 30 years ageing on lees. Now at over 30 years old, this Champagne has reached its zenith. The immediate surprise from the first sniff is how exceptionally clean it is. The autolytic notes are there but they are not at all oxidative or overly nutty. The wine is in exceptional condition at 32 years of age. The primary notes of citrus peel, strawberry and cherry fruit, lime oil as well as toasted marshmallows are interspersed with lightly smoky, reductive notes. With air, the tertiary flavours start to come through – truffle, marmalade and acacia honey all add to the complexity. The texture is gorgeous, very smooth, viscous but not at all overly glycerol-rich. It has an extremely long finish and is just delightfully balanced. Made from 100% Grand Cru fruit, it’s a 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.