When it comes to English wine theres a lot to shout about, not least the stunning sparkling wines from Henners. Based just 4 miles from the sea in Herstmonceux, East Sussex, the 7 acre vineyard was created in 2007 by ex-Formula One engineer, Lawrence Warr. The winery was named in honour of Larry’s French ancestor, Henners Dubois, who was forced to flee Paris for England during the French Revolution in the in the late 18th Century.

Boutinot was the sole distributor of Henners from this time and developed strong ties with the winery and its wines so when the opportunity arose 10 years later to buy the estate, they jumped at the chance. Planted with traditional Champagne varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the vines thrive in an idyllic microclimate created by the vineyards proximity to the sea, low altitude (only 24 metres above sea level) and steep, sunny, south facing slopes.

All Henners wines are hand-crafted from start to finish; with separate fermenting of varietals and their vine clones to allow a broader range of wines for final blending; extended lees ageing for added complexity; and holding back of all bottles for at least 3 years prior to release to add depth and richness to every wine. Hand-crafted with every attention to detail, our winemakers create award winning wines of depth, complexity and elegance that are perfect for any occasion.

Already a founder member of WineGBs Sustainability Programme Henners Vineyard can now announce it is one of just 18 accredited members to have been certified as sustainable by Wine GB. This is an endorsement to Henners commitment to winemaking and winery management that have minimal environmental impact, as well as the ongoing promotion of biodiversity in the vineyards and protection of soils. This is no easy task to attain, requiring annual review for accreditation and ongoing improvement in methodology.

Vineyards

Sourced from vineyard partners in Essex and Kent we harvested the vineyard parcels separately and fermented as small lots to allow the expression of their respective sites to shine through.

Vinification

Gardner Street is the historic name of Henners home village of Herstmonceux. The old name captures the hand-harvested, artisanal craft of tending vines & wines down English country lanes. A modern marriage of fresh, floral Bacchus with a little barrel-fermented Chardonnay.

90% Bacchus 10% Chardonnay.

30% of the blend was fermented in neutral 300L French oak barrels and allowed to go through malolactic fermentation, while the remaining parcels were fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel and did not go through malolactic fermentation.

Tasting Notes

Gardner Street is the historic name of Henners home village of Herstmonceux. The old name captures the hand-harvested, artisanal craft of tending vines & wines down English country lanes. A modern marriage of fresh, floral Bacchus with a little barrel-fermented Chardonnay.

Aromatic, bright and zesty. The 2023 vintage was overall challenging but particually chardonnay did very well. Notes of elderflower and gooseberry accompanied by fleshier stone and citrus fruit flavours of melon, white peach and orange. Hints of white currant and lime zest are softened by a creaminess and structure on the palate that delivers a lovely balance of fresh, bright acidity and vibrant fruit and floral aromas that leap out of the glass.

Pork tenderloins in cider with a generous helping of mash and buttery veg, a veggie lasagne or a hake in butter sauce with capers.