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Le Domaine d'Henri

Chablis domaine making Saint Pierre from multiple parcels and Fourchaume Héritage from the Fourchaume vineyard.

The producer

Le Domaine d'Henri began with its first vintage in 2012, when Michel Laroche rented cellar space at Domaine Laroche. The name honours his father Henri. Saint Pierre draws on Chablis fruit from Maligny, Fourchaume 1er Cru, Flyes and Chablis, while Fourchaume Héritage comes from the Fourchaume vineyard. Fermentation uses indigenous yeast in stainless steel with complete malolactic fermentation, followed by fine lees ageing. Héritage also uses oak demi muids and stoneware amphora.

Known for

Multi parcel Chablis and Fourchaume

Notable facts

The story

Fourchaume's 1937 Vines

In 1937, Henri Laroche's generation planted the Fourchaume vines that later produced the Héritage cuvée. The grapes developed very thick skins, allowing a later and more mature harvest. Michel Laroche's daughter Cécile and his sister Margaux now tend the vineyard. The thick skins permit the grapes to remain longer before harvest. Fruit from the Fourchaume planting goes into Fourchaume Héritage, the wine named for that vineyard. Cécile and Margaux work the vines planted by Henri Laroche's generation.

From the atlas

Le Domaine d'Henri

Le Domaine d'Henri makes Saint Pierre Chablis from several named parcels and Fourchaume Héritage from the Fourchaume vineyard.

At A Glance

FieldDetail
PlaceChablis
AppellationsChablis and Chablis Premier Cru
Named winesSaint Pierre and Fourchaume Héritage
Cellar methodsIndigenous yeast, malolactic fermentation and fine lees ageing

The Producer

Fourchaume Héritage links Le Domaine d'Henri to the Fourchaume vineyard, while Saint Pierre gathers fruit from several named parcels. The domaine's two named wines work at different geographical scales, one drawing from Maligny, Fourchaume 1er Cru, Flyes and Chablis, the other carrying the Fourchaume name.

The domaine was named in tribute to Michel Laroche's father Henri. Its Chablis range is built around parcel sources, named vineyard fruit and cellar work that includes indigenous yeast, stainless steel, oak, stoneware amphora and fine lees.

Place

Saint Pierre takes its grapes from Maligny, Fourchaume 1er Cru, Flyes and Chablis. Maligny is identified as a lieu dit, while Fourchaume is a Premier Cru source within the parcel selection.

The labels therefore move between Chablis fruit gathered from several places and Fourchaume Héritage, the Chablis Premier Cru wine named for one vineyard. The range keeps the broader Chablis appellation beside a more specific Premier Cru address.

Story

In 2012, Michel Laroche made Domaine d'Henri's first vintage by renting space in the cellars of Domaine Laroche. The first production took place in a cellar associated with another domaine. Michel gave the new estate the name of his father Henri, placing that family tribute on the bottles from the beginning.

Vineyards And Cellar

Saint Pierre is hand harvested and fermented with indigenous yeast in stainless steel, followed by 100% malolactic fermentation. It stays on fine lees for 14 to 17 months before bottling. Fine lees are spent yeast cells left after fermentation, and time on them can add roundness and savoury depth without adding sweetness.

Fourchaume Héritage 2022 uses 70% oak demi muids and 30% stoneware amphora, with 22 months on fine lees. Oak can bring spice and gradual oxygen contact, while stoneware gives the wine a vessel without oak flavour.

Wines

The range has Saint Pierre and Fourchaume Héritage. Saint Pierre 2023 is Chablis made from several parcels and has a drinking window of 5 to 10 years. Fourchaume Héritage is the Chablis Premier Cru bottling tied to the Fourchaume vineyard.

The two wines therefore differ in range position as well as vineyard address. Saint Pierre gathers fruit across several named sources, while Héritage carries the name of one Premier Cru vineyard.

In The Glass

Saint Pierre 2023 is fruity, mineral and precise. Complete malolactic fermentation converts sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid, while fine lees ageing can add roundness and savoury depth without sweetness. The wine's mineral character sits alongside the fruit rather than replacing it.

A Bottle To Understand It

Choose Saint Pierre 2023. It brings together fruit from Maligny, Fourchaume 1er Cru, Flyes and Chablis, so the bottle carries a multi parcel Chablis address rather than a single vineyard name. The vines are 40 years old. Fourchaume Héritage can follow as the more narrowly named Premier Cru wine.

Anecdote

In 1937, Henri Laroche's generation planted the Fourchaume vines that later produced the Héritage cuvée. The grapes developed very thick skins, allowing a later and more mature harvest. Michel Laroche's daughter Cécile and his sister Margaux now tend the vineyard. The thick skins permit the grapes to remain longer before harvest. Fruit from the Fourchaume planting goes into Fourchaume Héritage, the wine named for that vineyard. Cécile and Margaux work the vines planted by Henri Laroche's generation.

Final Word

Le Domaine d'Henri's named Chablis range moves from Saint Pierre's several parcel sources to Fourchaume Héritage, a Chablis Premier Cru tied to the Fourchaume vineyard.

Sources

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