Henri Giraud - Fut de Chêne MV19 OWC

Falstaff

The golden colour is unusual. The nose immediately reveals its oak vinification with rich tones of vanilla streaked with melted butter. The palate then pits this buttery, rounded, mellow richness against a profoundly mouth-watering vein of saltiness and freshness. This is a game of juxtaposition, of contrast that actually really works out. Very appetising.

Adrian van Velsen - vvWine.ch

Andreas Larsson - Tasted

Deep golden colour, the nose is very ripe and tropical in an oxidative style, hints of mango, pineapple, honey and caramel. The palate is broad and unctuous, abundant Pinot flavours, baked pear, ginger, raspberry, good length and warmth, a very traditional style, but really good if you like powerful Pinot Noir.

Wine Spectator

Jean-Marc Quarin

La Revue du Vin de France

Wine Spectator

La Revue du Vin de France

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The NV Brut Grand Cru Aÿ Fût de Chêne MV19 is showing beautifully, offering up a complex bouquet of pear, orange oil, buttered toast, toasted almonds, smoke and honeycomb. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a deep core of fruit, bright girdling acids and a classy pinpoint mousse, it's long and penetrating, with a seamless, elegant profile.

As I've written before, Champagne Henri Giraud is well known for its barrel-fermented, muscular and vinous wines. Chef de cave Sébastien Le Golvet, a stonemason by training, explains that Girard farms without pesticides or herbicides and produces their own barrels in collaboration with tonnelleries Chassin, Champenoise, Mercurey and Gauthier. Tirage is just before harvest, so the vins clairs see the better part of a year in wood, on their lees—something that surely helps to account for the textural, patinated house style. Powerful and head-turning in their youth, I've been equally impressed with just how gracefully the Giraud Champagnes can age.