2014 | Champagne Henri Giraud | Argonne Ay Grand Cru Brut

Beautiful interplay of vivacity and silkiness. Vibrant and phenolic, yet also supple with long, caressing layers of crushed almond, brown butter, apricot, praline, white chocolate and hints of sage.

Reviews:

• Vinous: The 2014 Argonne is the most delicate, nuanced and sculpted version of this Champagne yet. Then again, this cool, late-ripening year yielded wines more of energy and understatement than of power. That's exactly what comes through here. Lemon confit, mint, spice, pastry and a kiss of French oak are all beautifully knit together. I won't be at all surprised if the 2014 gains body in time. Today, it is so evocative and beautiful, not to mention a fine effort in a very challenging year.

• James Suckling: Beautiful interplay of vivacity and silkiness. Vibrant and phenolic, yet also supple with long, caressing layers of crushed almond, brown butter, apricot, praline, white chocolate and hints of sage. Really opens up. Fantastic integration. 100% new barrels from selected parcels of the Argonne forest. Drink or hold.

Producer Information

Champagne Henri Giraud is the one of the oldest Champagne houses still owned by its founding family – the Giraud-Hémart family who have farmed vines in Aÿ since 1625. However, it is only since current head Claude Giraud took over that the wines have been released under the family name. An annual production of around 250,000 bottles is sourced from 10 hectares (25 acres) of estate vineyards, spread over 35 plots, plus fruit bought mostly from family and friends. The flagship release is the rich, voluptuous Fût de Chêne, a Pinot Noir-dominant Champagne blend. Aside from the Blanc de Blancs and the Code Noir Blanc de Noirs, the white wines are typically 70-percent Pinot Noir with 30-percent Chardonnay. Use of oak is a feature of all cuvées except the standard Esprit de Giraud. The Blanc de Blancs features just a small proportion of oak-aged Chardonnay, while the base wine for the Hommage sees six months in oak barrels. The Pinot Noir for the Code Noir is fermented and aged in Argonne oak, as is the range-topping Fût de Chêne vintage wine.

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