NV Henri Giraud Grand Cru Ay Fut de Chene MV16

Disgorged in December 2020 and based on the 2016 vintage, with a hefty dose of wines from the House’s perpetual reserve, Henri Giraud’s MV16 is a blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. The colour is deep gold, testimony to the wine’s usual richness and complexity. At first the nose is exuberant, multi-layered with deep aromas of orchids, butterscotch, chamomile, brioche, lilies with nuances of ripe peach and other stone-fruit. The palate is equally complex with added layers of minerality – saline notes and crushed rock – that add freshness. It keeps building on the palate, with a mouth-filling creaminess, yet all the while retaining an elegant balance between richness and minerality. This is all about finesse and precision. The finish is grandiose and never-ending. It’s one of the most complex and powerful iterations of this flagship cuvée in recent years, reminiscent of how the MV10 must have tasted on release. If it evolves in the same way, it will reward patience – but already offers great pleasure if you can’t resist its allure. Another year, another benchmark MV release.