Henriot Hemera Brut 2005

Wineadvocate

The inaugural release of the new tête de cuvée from Henriot, the 2005 Cuvée Hemera is a blend of equal parts Chardonnay (from Chouilly, Avize and Mesnil-sur-Oger) and Pinot Noir (from Mailly, Verzy and Vezernay) that was aged for 12 years sur lattes and disgorged with five grams per liter dosage. The wine is still quite tight-knit after its recent disgorgement, unwinding in the glass with a refined bouquet of ripe citrus fruit, crisp yellow apple, lemon confit and freshly baked bread. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and concentrated, with a layered, tight-knit core, racy acids and a precise, chalky finish. It's a very creditable effort in the challenging 2005 vintage—and a Champagne that I admired for its depth and precision—so it will be interesting to taste future releases from more propitious years.