“A wine like the Bourgogne Blanc Monatine 2017 has remarkable energy and zen-like balance with an extraordinary mineral depth and joie de vivre that even many grand crus in Burgundy miss: truly a vin d’émotion.”
This quote was part of my motivation for awarding Marthe Henry Boillot the “Flavour of the Year” award for 2019.
This was my first meeting with Marthe in her cellar in Burgundy. I have always been fascinated and partly spellbound by her … not knowing whether to joke with her or to be a bit scared …
Her journalist background and her life have given her cultural depth and this makes both her and her wines even more interesting in my mind.
To see the start of her story, the article from my first visit to Marthe Henry is here.
Anyway, it’s better to taste than to talk. To the 2023s!
A bit about the wines
One of the things that is special about the wines from Marthe Henry is that they are vinified and matured without sulphur, and only see a light sulphuring at bottling. The wines are therefore what I would call low sulphur, but still protected. They avoid the influence of sulphur during vinification.
Vinification without sulphur seems to release the inner details of the wines and reveal the juicy energy of the fruit without the slight compression of mid-palate fruit sometimes experienced in sulphured wines – if that makes any sense.
This is still the case in the 2023 vintage …
The 2023s from Domaine Marthe Henry
The 2023s are showing very well with a lovely vividness and sparkle. The whites are delicately vivid and hedonistic; they provoke the desire for another glass and enjoy more.
The reds are equally vivid and energetic with the the slightly uneven ripeness of the phenolics creating a lovely tension.
To the wines!
– tasted August 9th 2024 from Cask.
Marthe Henry, Bourgogne Aligoté 2023
Aligotés from 2023 are lively with good concentration. It is energetic and rich, quite airy and with ripe complexity. I do like the balance of the white 2023 … have enjoyed quite a lot of Marthe’s 2019 Aligotés and expect to have the same joy with the 2023. It is a delightful, hedonistic glass.
(Drink from 2025) – Very Good – (88-89p) – 
Marthe Henry, Hautes Côtes de Beaune 2023
For the 2018 vintage, I wrote that this was a wine for pleasure. Even more so for the 2023s. Very lively and with a rather soft attack of the Marthe Henry style … has a fresh acidity and liveliness … quite adorable.
(Drink from 2025) – Good – (87p) – 
Marthe Henry, Bourgogne Blanc Les Grandes Gouttes 2023
The Bourgogne Blanc Les Grandes Gouttes 2023 is a lovely wine with a good hint of Meursault. Very delicate with a good firm fruit and a lovely freshness … I do like these.
(Drink from 2025) – Very Good – (88p) –
Marthe Henry, Montagny 2023
The Montagny is a bit of a drama queen – rich, vivid and forward … showing all with a lovely and pure richness midpalate. A potent Montagny that more or less steamrolls the Rully. A hit in the 2023 lineup.
(Drink from 2028) – Very Good – (88p) –
Marthe Henry, Rully 2023
The Rully comes into trouble when tasted after the Montagny. It’s a fine wine, but I lack some distinction after tasting the vibrant Montagny …. in addition to this, I am not what one would call a fan of Rully in general – sorry.
(Drink from 2026) – Very Good – (87-88p)
Marthe Henry, Santenay Le Bieveaux 2023
Santenay Bieveaux … lovely classic salinity, very good balance and quite a powerful midpalate. Very good minerality and a yin-yang effect of fruit and acidity … works very well. Santenay does give me a lot of pleasure … especially the whites.
(Drink from 2029) – Very Good – (89p) –
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- A Vin Vif - fresh, energetic and with a light appearance
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