Clos Henri
Nestled under the southern foothills of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, Clos Henri is the wine estate meticulously established and organically run by the famous Sancerre wine growing family of Henri Bourgeois. Uniting 10 generations of winegrowing know-how from the Bourgeois family, Clos Henri crafts textural and elegant wines, capturing the intense Marlborough character with the aim to reveal the identity of the Clos Henri terroir and a true sense of place in the wines. From the three different soil types of the estate, partially comprised of a clay hill slope, the family uses the best of French and New World winegrowing techniques to capture the essence of Marlborough’s intense character and reveal the identity and depth of the Clos Henri terroir.
Situated in Sancerre, France, the family estate of Henri Bourgeois has been passed down in the family for 10 generations. Now, one of the most established winegrowers in Sancerre and one of the most renowned family wineries in France, the Bourgeois family is immensely respected for their commitment to terroir-driven expressions of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Once in the hands of Henri Bourgeois’ sons Rémi and Jean-Marie, the family was aspired to explore outside the borders. This sparked the ‘great search’ that 12 years later, led them to Marlborough, New Zealand to establish Clos Henri Vineyard. Then they began a worldwide search for a new slice of terroir, similar to their own in Sancerre, where (ultra-premium) Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir could be grown.
After a 12 year exploration, New Zealand revealed itself as the place to create a style of wines that would reflect the Bourgeois philosophy. In the year 2000 the family fell in love with the land and wines of Marlborough and in the same year, made the instinctive and emotive decision to purchase 98 hectares of. The Bourgeois family was amazed at the youthfulness of the land, unlike in France where the ground has been worked for centuries. The New Zealand vineyard of the Bourgeois family was christened ‘Clos Henri’, pronounced “Klo Enrie”. ‘Clos’ is a French word representing an ancient custom of enclosing a unique vineyard or precious garden, traditionally with a stone wall. The name ‘Henri’ was chosen in respect of Henri Bourgeois and his long family commitment to wine.
