2004 Argonne

I tasted a wide range of wines with Chef de Caves Sébastien Le Golvet during a recent visit to Henri Giraud. There is always something new, something changing at Giraud. This year is certainly no exception. I tasted the first release of a new Coteaux Champenois, the appellation for Champagne’s still red and whites, and a category that continues to grow. A mini-vertical of the Fût de Chêne provided a terrific opportunity to check in on the evolution of a few older vintages and culminated with the brilliant 2013, while the 2011 edition of Argonne, the house’s flagship, is impressive. Readers should note that the older Fût de Chêne and Argonne vintages, which the house lables 'Collection', are the same exact wines as the orginal releases, but cellared at the property. Le Golvet presented the entry-level wines in this range at the end, but all that did was show just how compelling those wines can be. The Hommage a François Hebrart remains a personal favorite and also a great way for readers to explore the Henri Giraud wines. As always, the top cuvées here exalt the natural richness of Aÿ Pinot Noir in a rich, hedonistic style that will appeal most to readers who enjoy lush, opulent Champagnes.

Claude Giraud makes some of the most distinctive wines in Champagne. Low yields, vinification in barrel and the natural richness of Aÿ all give these wines much of their signature vinosity. If there is any quibble I have about the Giraud Champagnes is that the dosage sometimes tastes like it is on the high side given all the inherent intensity these wines have when they first go into bottle. Still, that is a minor point. Readers who like exuberant, creamy, Pinot Noir-based Champagnes will find much to admire.

This is another strong set of new releases from Henri Giraud. As Giraud fans know, these are rich, textured Champagnes made in a slightly oxidative style. Over the last few years, though, Giraud has pulled back on the intensity a bit. The wines are still intense and generous, but in my view also better balanced than they were previously. Above all else, though, what separates Giraud from so many other Champagne houses is a maniacal attention to detail that can be seen throughout the winery. In particular Claude Giraud has been a vocal advocate of the subtleties of the forests that inform the oak barrels for his top wines.

Claude Giraud continues to make some of the most exciting wines in Champagne. The power and breadth of Aÿ are shaped by vinification in oak in Champagnes that are voluptuous and resonant to the core. Over the last few years Giraud has begun to pull back a touch on the textural richness that has informed his wines in the past, while giving a little more emphasis to energy and tension, and lowering dosage levels slightly, all developments that add balance and harmony to wines that are already quite ample and oxidative in style. Giraud's meticulous attention to detail is evident throughout the cellar. I can't think of too many producers in any region who have spent as much time as Giraud has on oak and in particular on understanding the nuances of the various forests that provide the oak for his barrels. Lastly, the Code Noir Rosé has been replaced in the range by the new MV Fut de Chêne Rosé, which, by the way, is fabulous in its inaugural release. When I want to drink generous Champagnes built on volume I frequently reach for the wines of Claude Giraud.