A look inside Henri Giraud Champagne

Henri Giraud Champagne was founded in 1625—back when champagne was still a still wine and Dom Pérignon was furious about bubbles. Oh well, things change.

I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't heard of this winery before. It turned out to be a tip from Romana Echensperger (MW), who was more than happy to accept the Wijnstudio to complete this Champagne trip. We visited Henri Giraud on our last day. It was the day I thought I was just beginning to understand how things work in Champagne. It all collapsed like a house of cards when I heard Henri Giraud's philosophy.

The cellars of Henri Giraud

What's happening in the cellars is completely new to me. Where are the stainless steel tanks I've seen at all the previous houses? I've just learned that stainless steel guarantees the purity of the wine, but at Henri Giraud, I learn that it makes the wine "tired." That's why they replaced all their tanks with egg-shaped terracotta "vessels" in 2016. They're clearly fans of them. Firstly, because the porosity of terracotta allows a little oxygen to circulate. Secondly, the egg shape creates a kind of natural bâtonnage (a process of stirring yeast around to make the wine rounder and creamier). Some of the base wines are fermented and aged in these terracotta eggs. They also have a choice between Tuscan terracotta (fine texture) and Georgian terracotta (coarse texture). After fermentation, the wine matures in the egg for another six months.

France Champagne winery Henri Giraud vineyard

Terracotta egg specially made for Henri Giraud

Another portion of the base wines undergoes fermentation and aging in one of 850 oak barrels. The wood for the barrels comes from the Argonne Forest, located about seventy kilometers south of Épernay. Oak from this forest was once widely used in Champagne. In these pièces champenoises 205 liters of base wine could be stored.

#nerdtalk Now that 2050 liters of wine doesn't sound so crazy, does it? No idea what I'm talking about? Then read on: Inside… Billecart-Salmon .

This tradition had died a quiet death, but Henri Giraud decided to breathe new life into it. Not only by aging his champagne in Argonne oaks, but also by planting new trees.

I don't think I've heard of any other Champagne house using new oak (Bollinger included), but Henri Giraud goes for it. An oak barrel has a lifespan of about five years before being sold on to, among others, a sake producer. Twenty percent is replaced each year. They collaborate with two barrel makers: Tonnellerie de Champagne (the last local barrel maker in the region) and Chassin (the barrel maker for, among others, DRC). Henri Giraud's winemaker is always the first to go when... The barrels are being made and toasted. The man actually stops the toasting by smelling! He's been doing everything by smell for years. Wow.

You didn't think all barrels were the same, did you? No, each barrel has its own distinct flavor palette. They are classified into three types:

La Forêt de La Harazée imparts smoky aromas to the base wine.
La Forêt de La Chalade imparts fruity/citrus aromas to the base wine.
La Forêt de Saint Palais – Center is in between.

We're getting to put it to the test and try both a Harazee and Chalade-aged Chardonnay. I can only say it's 100% true. The barrels truly impart a different aroma.

Back to the base wine, which remains in the barrel for over a year, during which both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation takes place. I'm surprised that all Henri Giraud wines undergo malolactic fermentation. I almost got the feeling that every Champagne house tries its best to avoid this (whether or not there's malo in Champagne, you could write a book about this too: I'll start with a blog post – more later).

And now: tasting!

We kick off with the Esprit Nature , Henri Giraud's brut champagne, has been praised numerous times by Jancis Robinson and Robert Parker (just saying). "Nature" doesn't refer to dosage, but to the whole story of the Argonne Forest and its care for nature. One of the tastiest NV bruts I've ever tasted. Seriously.

France Champagne Winery Henri Giraud Vineyard Champagne Tour

Esprit Nature

France Champagne Winery Henri Giraud Champagne Trip

Okay, I regret not buying another box of Esprit Nature.

Then we also like the Fût de Chêne MV12 Aÿ Grand Cru Tasting. MV stands for Multi Vintage and consists of 60% 2012 vintages and 40% older vintages. The cuvée is matured in oak barrels using the solera system. After a year in oak, the blend undergoes a further six years of bottle aging.

After the first smell and the first sip, there's a pause. I didn't write much down, because putting it into words is almost impossible. Peach tart, crème brûlée, and vanilla. Wow.

An ode to champagne.

Finally we taste the Dame Jane Rosé . It's a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from Aÿ Grand Cru, plus a drop of red wine from Coteaux Champenois Aÿ, at 6%. This red wine is aged for one year in oak and one year in terracotta. The final blend undergoes a second fermentation with an additional three years on lie. A real treat.

Want to know more?

Yes, want to know even more? Then I recommend taking a trip like this one. De Wijnstudio regularly organizes wine tours. The Champagne tour was curated by Romana Echensperger, Master of Wine. Keep an eye on the De Wijnstudio website for more tours.

Want to taste Henri Giraud? You don't necessarily have to travel to Champagne. Pasteuning imports the wines to the Netherlands and sells them. online .

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