2012 Henri Giraud Cuvee Argonne
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Tasting notes
Tasting the 2012 Argonne is something that not many will have the opportunity to do. With fewer than 5,000 bottles produced, this is as rare as it gets in Champagne. When the opportunity does arise, however, there is no mistaking that one is in the company of true Champagne greatness. White truffle, sweet pastry, and light saline shellfish notes all hum harmoniously in this extraordinary champagne. Raised in 100% new oak you can feel the tension of the wine, yet its rich, ripe, fat texture beautifully counterpoints this nervous energy. Complex flavours and aromas continue as the wine opens up in the glass - white chocolate, pistachio, honeyed citrus fruits and earthy delicate white truffle notes all sing from the glass. Stunning!
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Revisited after an additional year in bottle, the 2012 Brut Grand Cru Aÿ Argonne continues to show brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with notes of golden orchard fruit, dried citrus peel, tarte tatin, warm spices, walnuts and toasted bread. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's vinous and multidimensional, with superb concentration, racy acids and a delicate pinpoint mousse. Seamless and integrated, it's still an infant and will reward further bottle age.
Handsome sloping-shouldered bottle and their signature agrafe (clip over the cork). Bottle 4,741. 90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay. Giraud's cuvée based on wine fermented and aged in oak from the nearby Argonne forest. Broad , very distinctive aromas in which the local Argonne oak plays a part. Light copper colour. Extremely delicate bead – a real pleasure that caresses the palate. Some of the same mushroomy aromas as I pick up on a typical mature wine from Aÿ neighbours Bollinger. And great, playful interplay of different, vibrant elements on the palate. This wine is delicious now. Fruit is not the thing here! Rich but not sweet. (JR)
The 2012 Argonne is superb. It is a blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay vinified in 100% new oak, which is barely perceptible. Silky, nuanced and incredibly refined, the 2012 opens to reveal layers of Mirabelle, dried flowers, orange zest and apricot. The interplay of Aÿ richness and more mineral inflections makes for an absolutely compelling Champagne. Unlike most releases of Argonne, the 2012 needs a few years in bottle to be at its best. Today, it is decidedly taut, but impressive just the same. (Originally published in August 2020)
About the producer
Henri Giraud is one of the most exciting and pioneering Champagne houses today. Based in Äy, the property’s story begins in the early 17th century, when the Hémart family settled in the region.