Henri Giraud Fut de Chene MV Ay Grand Cru Brut Rose CX Individual

James Suckling
Wine Advocate 95/100

Based on the 2018 vintage, the NV Aÿ Grand Cru Fût de Chêne Brut MV Rosé reveals seductive aromas of pastry, peony, red berries, blood orange and menthol. Medium-bodied, elegant and finely tannic, it has a layered, taut structure underpinned by lively acidity and a long, ethereal finish. The blend is 80% Pinot Noir (including 6% red wine) and 20% Chardonnay.
Since the arrival of Sébastien Le Golvet, cellarmaster and son-in-law of Claude Giraud, the style of this Aÿ house has evolved considerably towards finer, more elegant and refined champagnes with barely perceptible oak aromas. The house owns nine hectares of vines, mainly in Aÿ, supplemented by purchased grapes. Like Claude Giraud, Sébastien Le Golvet is an advocate of barrel fermentation. His work on barrels, vats, fermentation and ageing is simply breathtaking, and is always characterised by innovation, research and development, and a questioning of the fundamentals. As a result of this dynamism, the champagnes from this house are some of the finest, most elegant and precise I have tasted on my recent travels.