Henri Giraud: Esprit Nature, Hommage au Pinot Noir, Dame-Jane or Fût de Chêne — which cuvée should you choose?

In Aÿ, a Grand Cru village in the Marne Valley, three houses share the hill: Bollinger, Deutz and Henri Giraud. The third is the oldest — dating back to 1625 — and the most radical: not a single stainless-steel tank, oak barrels hewn from the Argonne Forest, a perpetual reserve established in 1990, and Champagne’s first zero-pesticide-residue certificate. This guide reviews the range, fromEsprit Nature to Fût de Chêne MV, covering what’s in the glass, the prices observed in our cellar and who each cuvée is aimed at.

Henri Giraud, the Aÿ-based house that swears by Argonne oak

The Giraud-Hémart family has been cultivating vines in Aÿ since 1625; Claude Giraud, representing the twelfth generation, has made the house what it is today. Fifteen hectares of their own vineyards across the grands crus of Aÿ and Louvois, predominantly planted with Pinot Noir — the ‘blue Pinot’ of Aÿ, whose berries glisten with golden speckles at harvest time. All the cuvées, without exception, are vinified and matured in oak barrels, never in stainless steel; and these barrels come from the Argonne Forest, to the east of Champagne, whose fine-grained oak supplied Champagne coopers for centuries before falling into oblivion. The house has revived it. In 2018, it also became the first Champagne house to be independently certified as having zero pesticide residues. To see where Aÿ fits amongst the 17 grands crus, see our article on the Champagne classification; for its two neighbours, see our guides to Bollinger and Deutz.

The range at a glance

Esprit Nature: an introduction to the range, in a gift set you can plant

The Esprit Nature in a limited-edition gift box (€62) is the perfect introduction: a brut made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, partly aged in Argonne oak barrels — green apple, chalk, toasted hazelnut, a subtle woody note — under the emblem of the ‘Paper Oak’, symbolising the fragility of life and the house’s commitment. The gift set is an idea you won’t find anywhere else: whilst the bottle chills, you moisten the box and plant the seed discs provided; it becomes a little garden. It’s the perfect gift for gardeners and those who already have everything — it features in our selection of gift sets. The bottle without the gift set (€56) is currently out of stock at the time of writing.

Blanc de Craie: Chardonnay on chalk

Blanc de Craie (€67.50) is the house’s blanc de blancs, a Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims aged in oak. The name says it all: chalk, flint, orange and lemon zest, white flowers, a hint of aniseed and white pepper; a taut, briny palate, fuller-bodied than a Blanc de Blancs from the Côte des Blancs, thanks to the oak ageing. Serve with oysters or fish in a beurre blanc sauce. Our other Blanc de Blancs are listed here, for comparison.

Hommage au Pinot Noir: Aÿ in its purest form

The Hommage au Pinot Noir (€69.95) is a blanc de noirs, made from 100 per cent Pinot Noir from Aÿ – the cuvée that does justice to the village’s ‘blue Pinot’. An intense golden colour with coppery highlights; ripe cherry and raspberry, buttery brioche, and sweet spices; a full-bodied, dense and long finish that calls for a meal rather than an aperitif — free-range poultry, veal and mushrooms. This is the cuvée we recommend to understand, in a single glass, why Aÿ is classified as a Grand Cru.

Dame-Jane: the amphora rosé

Dame-Jane (€82) is the most unusual cuvée in the range, and probably in the whole of Champagne: a rosé vinified and matured in a demijohn, the earthenware jar that merchants on the Silk Road — from Damghan in Persia, hence the name — brought all the way to Europe before it was superseded by the barrel. More than thirty-five amphorae are dedicated to this wine in Aÿ. The terracotta allows the wine to breathe without imparting any flavour: Burlat cherry, stone, a distinct mineral character, and a fresh, full-bodied palate. For those who have tasted it all, or to accompany spicy dishes. Our other rosés offer different profiles.

Fût de Chêne MV: the flagship cuvée

The Fût de Chêne MV 20 (€215, wooden box) is the cuvée that has built the estate’s reputation. ‘MV’ stands for multi-vintage: the 2020 harvest forms the bulk of the blend, supplemented by wines from a perpetual reserve established in 1990 — each year, a portion is drawn from the cask and replenished with the new harvest, so that the wine carries thirty years of history. Aged entirely in Argonne oak casks. A golden colour with amber highlights; ripe mango, dried apricot, pineapple, smoky flint, a hint of vanilla; powerful, precise and vibrant on the palate, with exceptional length. This is a champagne for fine dining — lobster, sweetbreads, mature Comté — and for ageing: the house estimates that it needs around ten years to fully reveal its character. The MV 17 and MV 19, previous vintages, are currently out of stock here. The Fût de Chêne MV Rosé (€274) is crafted from the same base cuvées, with the addition of a 2005 red wine made from old Pinot Noir vines in Aÿ, and crowned with a rose gold cap: raspberry, blood orange, spices, and the same oaky backbone — the perfect gift for special occasions.

Which Henri Giraud cuvée for which occasion?

Discover the house: Esprit Nature, then Hommage au Pinot Noir if you’ve enjoyed it. Aperitif, seafood: Blanc de Craie. Meals: Hommage au Pinot Noir with poultry, Fût de Chêne MV with a festive dish, Dame-Jane with cuisine from around the world. Gift: the limited-edition gift set at €62 to surprise someone, Fût de Chêne MV in a wooden box to mark a special occasion. Cellar: Fût de Chêne MV and MV Rosé, ten years’ ageing without losing any of their quality. And if you’re torn between a house like this and a grower’s champagne, our article on ‘grand maison’ versus ‘grower’s champagne’ provides the right guidance — Henri Giraud is, in its own way, both.

Serving and ageing

Champagnes aged in oak do not fare well in freezing cold or in narrow flutes. Serve Esprit Nature and Blanc de Craie at 8–9 °C, Hommage, Dame-Jane and the Fût de Chêne at 10–12 °C, in a white wine glass or a Burgundy glass — our guide to ‘which glass for champagne’ explains why. The Fût de Chêne MV should be opened an hour beforehand and can be decanted without hesitation. Store bottles lying down, in the dark, at between 10 and 12 °C (our storage advice). All the house’s cuvées are listed in the catalogue.