Pascal Henin
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1 product
Romain Henin, son of Pascal, has garnered significant attention with his early releases after starting his own Champagne label in 2016. In 2021, he returned to take over his dad's plots, and implemented the tactics that made his own wines so gloriously expressive and sought-after. Today the estate has been fully converted into one practicing biodynamics, agroforestry and we have all begun to reap the benefits with each bottle opened.
Champagne Pascal Henin is and was a family-run estate based in Aÿ, a very traditional house - Pinot Noir-dominant, but largely made of blends of varietals and vintages to craft a consistent, complex style. After his schooling in Avize, Pascal's son Romain worked with Henri Giraud for two years, before returning to the family domaine. In his early years, Romain was also mentored by Sebastien Mouzon (of Mouzon-Leroux), an adroit practitioner of biodynamic viticulture in Verzy. Sebastien is certainly one to challenge tradition, and Romain followed suit in 2015 by splitting from the family house to begin his own label.
In 2016, Romain leased his first plots, and in 2017 began the full conversion of his estate to his own vision. This included agroforestry (trees interspersed with the vines), practicing biodynamics and organic treatment of the vines which imbued beautiful health to the plants, and the resulting grapes. With the great stress put on the vines with the climactic changes in recent decades, many producers are realizing that allowing the plants to be more reliant on nature than chemicals, and encouraging biodiversity, the tradeoff of quantity for terrific quality is worthwhile. Romain is one face of this transition in the region.
In 2021, Romain returned to take over the family vineyards and begin the similar conversion as he had for his own label. Such is his care and skill that the wines can be bottled without adding any sulfur; this is a result of healthy fruits and native yeasts, and a skillful, watchful eye in the winery. Aging is performed in barrel, on the lees, which also provide a healthy natural security against bacteria. Romain's wines are gorgeously textured, profound and energetic all at once.
