Clos Henri awarded best Sauvignon Blanc in the world

Our new release Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc 2010 has won the Special Trophy Award at the Mondial du Sauvignon Competition which took place in Bordeaux earlier this year. Winemaker Damien Yvon said "10 years on from the birth of Clos Henri, it's a great accomplishment and we're all delighted with this award in such a prestigious wine competition".

MW Symposium in Bordeaux - Jancis Robinson comments our wines

The theme of this second formal session of MW Symposium was to compare a couple of New World versus Old world wines from wineries present in both hemispheres. Arnaud Bourgeois has been invited to participate to this symposium, as the representant of the Bourgeois family entities: Domaine Henri Bourgeois in Sancerre - France, and Clos Henri Vineyard in Marlborough - NZ. Along with Arnaud Bourgeois were invited to present their wines internationally recognised producers: Egon Muller, Pascal Marchand, Zelma Long, Michel Rolland.

Arnaud Bourgeois has presented the 'Cote des Monts Damnes' 2008 and the 'Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc' 2008 for comparative tasting. Here's what Jancis Robinson says about our wines:

"Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - 16 pts - Drink 2009-11
Greywacke soil which is very stony and Wither soils. Arnaud points out that they used their Sancerre experience of making wine on different soils. A hint of asparagus juice and then very bright, zappy fruit with much more intensity on the palate than most Marlborough sauvignons. 10% barrel fermentation in one-year-old oak. Finishes pretty dry."

"La cote des Monts Damnes 2008 - 16.5 - Drink 2010-13
Kimmeridgian soil. 2008 was good for preserving the acid in Sancerre. Arnaud admits it's less intense on the nose and then much drier and tarter than the Kiwi wine. Still very young and with masses of flavour still to be resolved, I suspect. Still a bit astringent on the finish."

Clos Henri elected Gold Medal Cellar Door 2010

Every year, Wine Marlborough (promotional institute for the Marlborough wine region) organises for Mystery Shoppers to visit wineries 'incognito' and evaluate their tasting rooms as known as cellar doors. The evaluation is held on the quality of the service, quality of the information given, little step further done by the cellar door host, quality of the experience given.

We are proud to receive a Gold Medal for the season 2010. We always ensure our visitors have a wonderful experience and leave our cellar door with relevant information about Clos Henri and wine in general. 'Terroir' being one of the important notion for us to explain, through comparative tastings of our wines and a wine from Sancerre, as well as through a display of soils that show the terroir characteristics of our estate.

We've also opened a little cafe this year at Clos Henri where French cheese and terrines are served. This brings a little plus to the atmosphere, and enables our visitor to enjoy good quality products with a glass of our wines amongst the vineyard.

We invite you to visit us:

From mid may to end october: by appointment only

From beginning of november to mid may: Monday to Friday - 10am to 4pm

On 639 state hwy 63 - RD1 - Wairau Valley - Blenheim

Praise for Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc 2008 in Decanter - May 2010 issue

Rosemary George MW, Regional Chair for NZ at the Decanter Worl Wine Awards - writes in May 2010 about Clos Henri in an article about Marborough wines:

"At Clos Henri, developed by Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume producer Henri Bourgeois, you can sense the European background. So far Bourgeois is the only grower from the Loire to extend his horizons as far as New Zealand. A young Frenchman, Damien Yvon, makes the wine here. Bourgeois spent 10 years looking for a site in Marlborough, after rejecting possibilities elsewhere in New Zealand. As you'd expect from a French grower, he took the issue of terroir seriously, carrying out soil profiles to find something similar to Sancerre. Eventually he chose a 110Ha plot , with three different soils - two clay and one stony. Yvon took me up to a spot above the vineyards, and pointed out the fault line that runs through the middle of them, dividing the stone and clay soils. Vines are planted n narrow rows, minimal irrigation is used and grass is allowed to grow between the vines, to retain a level of stress. Above all, they are looking for minerality.
'The Bourgeois family is not keen on varietal character', observed Yvon, who is adamant that Sauvignon Blanc must be tamed. 'You must control the vigour, and pick when everything is ripe, to avoid greenness.' [...] Yvon strives for purity and finess, and skin contact can result in coarse tannins."

"Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc 2008: 4 stars (17)
Discreet and mineral, with a firm, stony nose, and a hint of oak that fills out the palate, giving a rounded finish. Lovely minerality: textured and elegant mouthfeel. Now-2011."

You can find our wines in London in top end gastronomy restaurants and in Boutique wine shops such as:
- Wimbledon Wine Cellars Chiswick / Imperial Wharf / Wimbledon
- Handford's
- City Beverage
...

Bel Echo Sauvignon 2008 - 93 pts by MW Bob Campbell

"Rich, creamy Sauvignon Blanc with gooseberry, mineral, capsicum and bready yeast lees flavours. Quite complex wine with a great texture and lingering finish. One of the best of the vintage." Tasted by MW Bob Campbell in March 09.