The H. Blin Family Estate is a union of growers in Champagne's Marne Valley. It is named for founder Henri Blin, who came from a long line of vintners stretching back to the 17th century. Its history begins in 1947 when Henri united 29 growers and vintners in his home village of Vincelles to found Champagne H.Blin.
Unique among top producers in Champagne, they have always placed strong emphasis on the Pinot Meunier variety. Their wide range of styles includes three 100% Pinot Meunier cuvées, and are the largest vineyard owners of Pinot Meunier in Champagne. Pinot Meunier is virtually unique to the Champagne region, with 99% of the world’s production occurring in the Marne Valley.
All of the vineyards are located around the village of Vincelles, with all of their wines being made from grapes grown exclusively in their own vineyards, consisting of 130 hectares in total (90 hectares of Pinot Meunier, 20 hectares of Chardonnay and 20 hectares of Pinot Noir). The vines are grown on chalky clay soils with ideal exposure (south-southeast), allowing the grapes to grow and ripen slowly and completely. One of the most important goals of H. Blin is to protect the environment by using the most natural products to treat the vineyards. All growers farm sustainably and are transitioning to organic certification, starting with 3 hectares of Chardonnay from which the cuvée “L’Esprit Nature” is produced.
The base wines are fermented in stainless steel and usually, but not always, undergo malolactic fermentation before being blended by cellarmaster Sébastien Barbier. Non-vintage cuvées include about 30% reserve wines. All in all, about 500,000 bottles are produced each year, half of which is consumed domestically.
Products:
