For Champagne Monday this week, we take a deep dive into two fantastic houses, looking at them in the detail come Saturday where they'll both line the tasting table! It won't be long now until the festive season gets into full swing, and as always our lead-up to the big day will be celebrated in part by a welcome dominance of Champagne at many of our Saturday tastings. We couldn't think of a better start than the magic emerging from Henri Giraud and André Robert.
Henri Giraud, an estate with history reaching as far back as 1625, hold some of the distinctive and enviable Grand Cru vineyards in the Aÿ - arguably the single greatest village for Pinot Noir! Current head of the house Claude Giraud follows in the footsteps of eleven generations before him; a stat almost as amazing as his decision in 1990 to remove all stainless steel from the winery. In their place, a rigorous oak regime was developed, slow toasting the barrels themselves that are carved from trees in the Argonne Forest. It was a return to the old ways of doing things, and their champagnes are all the better for it, producing luxurious, richly complex cuvées as a result. Other than their unique Blanc de Craie, these are indeed all Pinot dominant efforts, and it shows in the best of ways. These are heady, vinous bubblies that tend to change and evolve in the glass, and we can't wait to show off their style! All listed below are on special, including their impressive Argonne Grand Cru 2015 (available for trying on the day for a tasting fee), as well as their very special Perpetual Reserve 1990-2020 and Multi-Vintage 2018 (not on tasting due to rarity of the bottles in Australia!)
On the other hand, André Robert are almost the perfect counterpoint - a house with fourteen hectares of Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards in the Côtes de Blancs, and as such, a particular emphasis towards Chardonnay! They are notable for their 'no malolactic' approach, preferring bubblies that bring mineral drive, chalky savouriness, and bone-dry powerful texture to the forefront. We're always enamored with the laser-like acidity present in their 'Les Jardins du Mesnil' or 'Les Horizons' Blanc de Blancs, while the Vignes de Montigny Blanc de Noir will act as a great comparison between two separate approaches to Pinot Noir next to the Henri Giraud efforts. We'll then finish on their new Terre du Mesnil Grand Cru release from the 2017 vintage!
As you can see, the shop will be total Champagne heaven come Saturday (26th), so be sure to pop by as we run it between 12 to 2pm (or until the bottles run dry). If you can't make it in but are intrigued by these houses, these will all stay on special for the next week
The Giraud Lineup
Esprit Nature Brut NV - $150 on special this week; $169 RRP
// 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay
"A juicy and flavorful Champagne with phenolics and a brightness and energy. Full with lots of flavors like sliced pineapple, dried peach and stone, yet it is fresh and vibrant. New label and bottle. Henri Giraud DNA in this. About 80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay.’’ - 95 Points, James Suckling
"Ripe fruit is the hallmark here. It's rich, full-bodied and mouth-filling, with opulence and concentrated flavour. A superb wine, which is impressively rich for a dry (unliqueured) Champagne." - 95 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
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Blanc de Craie NV - $178 on special this week; $199 RRP
// 100% Chardonnay
"Restrained, subtle, amazingly elegant 100% Chardonnay, with the complexity that only an aged Champagne can offer. Notes of fresh apples with marzipan notes and freshly cooked biscuits. Sublime delicacy on the palate, with as firm an architecture as roses carved in stone. The finish is impressively slow and complex." - 96 Points, Decanter
"What an aromatic and expressive chardonnay this is, and it’s also a rich and very sensual Blanc de Blancs champagne! The toasted-hazelnut, candied-citrus, vanilla and toast aromas remind me of maturing, high-end white Burgundy, as does the very long, silky finish. " - 94 Points, James Suckling
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Hommage au Pinot Noir NV - $205 on special; $229 RRP
// 100% Pinot Noir
"Vibrant and saline with a medium body, tangy acidity and a textured, almost oily palate. Serious and structured Blanc de Noirs with notes of grapefruit, salted almonds, apricot skin and stones. Tight bubbles. Gourmand. 40% perpetual reserve wines." - 94 Points, James Suckling
"The NV Hommage au Pinot Noir is another fabulous wine in this range from Giraud. Rich, ample and creamy, the Hommage is so expressive today. The Hommage is 100% Pinot Noir done in an unusual style that sees eleven months in oak followed by six months in tank, an approach that is much more common for white Burgundy. In fact, I have never seen this élevage in Champagne. No matter, though, it all works. Red plum, kirsch, mint, chamomile and spice all meld together effortlessly. The Hommage is rich and generous, but is also light on its feet." - 93 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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Perpetual Reserve NV 20-90 - $350 on special this week; $395 RRP
// 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay
"A blend of two Perpetual Reserves (soleras), the first dating from 1990 and nourished each year (up to the new 2020 vintage for this new edition) by an Aÿ Grand Cru, and the second nourished by the 'Esprit de Giraud' since the 1950s. "PR 20/90 is a new dimension, a champagne from another world, a champagne in the absence of gravity...", as Sébastien Le Golvet, the House's Chef de Cave, likes to describe it with passion." -House Notes
"This has so much energy and vivacity and refined, vinous character. It’s dry and focused with notes of bread crust, grapefruit, dried orange, chalk and a hint of clove. All about the tension. Long and tightly wound. One third perpetual reserve of cuvee MV and two thirds perpetual reserve of cuvee Esprit. Disgorged December 2023. Dosage 5g/L. Drink or hold." - 96 Points, James Suckling
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Grand Cru MV18 - $440 on special this week; $495 RRP
Also available in magnum - on special for $875 ($995 RRP)
// 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay
"So much orange blossom, hints of peach tatin, iron, and chalk on both the nose and palate. Menthol undertones. Full-bodied, with a gorgeous texture and sensibility. Elegant and caressing in the finish. Captivating. Drink or hold." - 96 Points, James Suckling
"The MV18 is a classic Giraud Champagne. Apricot jam, tangerine peel, spice, honey and hazelnut give this mid-weight, classy Champagne tons of complexity and nuance. Readers will find a Champagne of notable purity and finesse. There's plenty of Giraud intensity, but in a mid-weight style that is hugely appealing. Based on 2018, with a blend of reserve wines that span vintages 1990 through 2017." - 94 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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Argonne Grand Cru 2015 - $1,225 on special this week; $1,395 RRP
Also available in magnum - on special for $2,500 ($2,895 RRP)
// 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay
"Golden color with intense aromas of lemon, tar, oak, bark, mushroom, and hints of salted caramel. Full-bodied and so powerful wi-th an energy and drive as it spreads across the palate. It's like Batard Montrachet with tiny bubbles. This is a very great wine for great dishes at the table. 100% new barrels from selected parcels of the Argonne forest." - 98 Points, James Suckling
"The Argonne 2015 unfurls with pure notes of poached white peach, Meyer lemon confit, dried orange peel, honey wafer biscuits, marzipan, and toast. Vinified in new Argonne oak barrels, it is a 100% Aÿ fruit from five plots and a predominantly Pinot Noir (90%) with a 10% dash of Chardonnay. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is opulently textured around red fruit, spiced pear, hints of orange peel and mouthwatering salinity. It possesses a pulsating acid energy throughout and finishes long with oodles of honeyed notes." - 98 Points, Sarah Mayo, The Wine Independent
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The André Robert Lineup
Les Vignes de Montigny NV - $105 on special this week; $119 RRP
// 100% Pinot Noir (2020 base vintage)
"The NV Champagne Les Vignes de Montigny Extra Brut takes this cuvée to the next level. On opening, it has the freshness of perfectly ripe bunches fresh off the vine, with notes of black cherry, violets, dewy earth, and some blue fruit shining through. The palate is medium to full-bodied and has a chiseled core of concentration, refined mousse, and a long, floral finish. I love the transparent nature of this wine, and it has the structure and bones to gain in complexity and improve with another few years. Drink 2025-2035." - 94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
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Les Horizons Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut NV - $119 on special this week; $135 RRP
// 100% Chardonnay (70% Grand Cru & Premier Cru)
"The Les Horizons Blanc de Blanc by André Robert is their latest Blanc de Blancs and a perfect introduction to the house, the result of blending 100% Chardonnay grapes from the family’s different chardonnay terroirs. Mainly from their Grand Cru & Premier Cru vineyards (seventy percent) within the Côte des Blancs (Les Mesnil sur Oger, Cuis, Etrechy and Vertus). There is also a freshness and bright yellow fruit component from the Vitryat vineyard component (thirty percent) which has a different Turonian chalk soil." -Importer Notes
"The NV Champagne Blanc De Blancs Les Horizons Extra Brut is a blend of Grand Cru and Premier Cru fruit. It has a soft floral tone, with notes of hay and savory herbs, and a long finish. The palate is juicy with ripe fruit, has pure clarity, and is really tasty. I love this one as well." - 92 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
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Les Jardins du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV - $145 on special this week; $165 RRP
// 100% Chardonnay (Grand Cru – Le Mesnil sur Oger)
Base vintage 2018
"This is a beautifully sculptured blanc de blancs from the exquisite Grand Cru vineyard of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. One of the finest vineyards in the whole region, and it is a privilege to drink champagne from this village. There is great structure, with crushed oyster shell and mineral streaks – shining through a palate of grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, and pomelo. I always recognize this village by its ‘apple snow’ character – grated green apple folded through with whipped raw egg white. It shines in this champagne! There is beautiful oak use, which adds richness & complexity, giving a spicy layer. There is a film of chalky powder sprinkled over the whole palate – reflecting the beautiful Grand Cru vineyard. Some macadamia nuts and nougat are flicked through the wine, which adds to its vibrance. The dosage is about 3 or 4 grams per litre, giving the wine a wonderful length and dryness and allowing the chardonnay to shine superbly. Indeed, this a champagne I highly recommend – and you will be impressed!" - Bernadette O'Shea, Champagne Consultant, TWE
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Terre du Mesnil Grand Cru 2017 - $205 on special this week; $235 RRP
"The cuvée 'Terre du Mesnil' is crafted exclusively from Chardonnays from Mesnil-sur-Oger, mainly from the heart of the terroir. The selected plots vary depending on the tastings of the clear wines of the year. We often find the following named places: Les Vaucherots, Les Coullemets du Midi, Les Finciarts, Les Chétillons, which are parcels with very low yields, with a maximum of 5000 to 6000 kg/ha, producing grapes with significant total acidity and low pH, allowing us to harvest them very late and thus at full phenological maturity. These grapes enable us to produce wines of great depth, while preserving nobility and freshness." - House Notes
If you wish to buy any of these champagnes, please use the links above.
Alternatively, email us at sales@thewineemporium.com.au, or contact us on (07)32521117 if you have any questions.
// Prices valid until Monday the 28th of October