Tête de Bulle “Spill the Tea” Interview:
Caroline Henry, “Champagne Terroir” author
Interviewed by Lyn M. Archer
“I aim to give my readers a peek behind the curtain, so that they, too, can really understand Champagne.” – Caroline Henry, author of “Terroir Champagne”
Welcome to the TdB’s 2026 series ‘Spill the Tea’ Tuesday.
The series showcases fellow Substack authors as they spill about their noteworthy projects, pet peeves, and fave Substacks they follow.
Today, TdB meets up with Caroline Henry, wine journalist and author of “Terroir Champagne.”
NOTE: Tune in for Caroline’s interview with me about US sparkling wine on upcoming her Substack LIVE post in February 2026
(This interview has been edited for clarity and length.)
LMA: What is your Substack site, and what is it about?
CH: My Substack – Terroir Champagne – is an outsider/insider take on Champagne, dealing with everyday issues – ranging from herbicide and pesticide abuse, to the declining sales – that in many ways define – and often hamper – the appellation.
I aim to give my readers a peek behind the curtain, so that they, too, can really understand Champagne. There are also stories of hope and innovation, for there is a lot of creativity and change bubbling just under the surface – even if it generally is driven by a minority of quality-focused producers.
LMA: What was your impetus for starting it?
CH: I started the Substack because I wanted to expose Champagne’s illegal herbicide usage in 2024.
At that time I wanted to let the CIVC know that I was well aware that the practices were illegal – my post Champagne’s blatant disregard for the law has plenty of links to substantiate my findings – in the hope that they would turn up the heat and lay down the law for 2025 – the year the appellation was supposed to herbicide free.
They did not take action, so in spring 2025, part of why I wrote here went into my Wine-Searcher article. READ FULL INTERVIEW HERE.