"Clos Henri Petit Clos Pinot Noir is a very fresh, modern and spicy pinot that has abundant red and dark-cherry aromas with violets. Some gently herbal notes, too.

The palate has a very smooth-honed blueberry and dark-cherry core. Smooth tannins and a nice build into the finish."

(James Suckling, 92 points)

About Clos Henri

The natural, unspoiled land that Clos Henri sits upon drew the attention of the Bourgeois family who have been farming in Sancerre for ten generations. Historically a sheep station, the virgin land was untouched by the cut of a plough, fertilisers or much human interference. It was this pristine healthy soil that convinced Jean-Marie Bourgeois and his family that this vineyard could be unequalled in the area. With every intention of maintaining the bio-friendly status of the land, the Bourgeois undertook a lengthy process of reviving the soil by planting nutrient rich legumes and crops to adjust the slight nutrient deficiencies their vines would need prior to the first plantings in August 2001.

Planting only six hectares a year, the Clos Henri property took 12 years to fully transform from farm to vineyard. The site is unique in that it consists of several soil types – gravels and clays as well as sloping land and hillsides. The gravel is found in Renwick and provides wines with elegance and crispness. A greyish-brown clay with ochre tints (indicating a high iron content) particularly suited to Pinot Noir is found in Broadbridge. The final soil in Clos Henri, a kind of yellow-grey clay, is to be found on the very steep slopes of Wither where the vines enjoy excellent exposure to the sun. All these soils have only been used for pasture and never exposed to insecticides, herbicides or any other form of chemical treatments.