Henri Giraud Blanc de Craie NV

Champagne Henri Giraud stands as the oldest Champagne house still under the ownership of its founding family, the Giraud-Hemart family. With a legacy of vine farming in Ayis, they have become a distinguished wine producer celebrated for crafting exceptional Champagnes. Henri Giraud embodies excellence through meticulous vineyard management, traditional winemaking techniques, and an unwavering commitment to producing wines that elegantly capture the essence of their terroir with finesse and sophistication.

Winemaking Process: It is a champagne made from Chardonnay grape, a grape that thrives on the Montagne de Reims and perfectly suited to its chalky soils, hence the name it bears as a nod and a tribute to its great wine terroirs.The harvest is manual and the wine is aged in French oak barrels from the Argonne forest for about 6 months.

Tasting notes: The color is peachy yellow with some small light green reflections.The first attack nose is very pronounced on citrus fruits such as lemon from Menton or pink grapefruit from Florida. The second nose is pineapple with a hint of lychee.The mouth is full-bodied and very creamy with a very final on the woody notes of its aging in oak barrels.

"The latest rendition of Giraud's NV Blanc de Craie Brut offers up aromas of citrus oil, fresh pear and linden blossom. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, vinous and satiny mtextured, with a delicate mousse, ripe but racy acids and a saline finish. Charming and structurally open-knit, it's already drinking well. As usual, this is a blend of Chardonnay from Aÿ and the Montagne de Reims."90/100 Points, Wine Advocate

"Blanc de Craie is a new cuvée from Henri Giraud, 100% Chardonnay from 55% Aÿ and 45% Louvois fruit. With scents of lemon, a little verbena and honeysuckle, the nose is lively and pleasant, while the texture is perfectly defined, displaying well-controlled acidity and perfect balance. Can be aged for up to five years." 93/100 Points, Decanter

"The NV Blanc de Craie is a new 100% Chardonnay composed of 55% Aÿ and 45% Louvois fruit. In the glass, the Blanc de Craie (which translates to ‘chalk’) is very pretty and immediate, with lovely Chardonnay character. Lemon confit, white flowers and mint are some of the notes that add brightness as well as aromatic intensity. This release is 20% 2015 and 80% reserve wines." 90/100 Points, Vinous