Champagne Henri Giraud Solera Ratafia De Champagne 500 ml

An exceptionally elegant fortified wine from Champagne, Henri Giraud Solera Ratafia de Champagne delivers a lush blend of candied fruit, warm spice, and fine minerality. Its velvety texture, sophisticated depth, and refreshing balanced sweetness make it a knockout digestif or dessert sipper that beautifully expresses Champagne’s hidden heritage.

Origins & Craftsmanship

• Crafted using the solera method, this Ratafia is a harmonious blend spanning vintages (approximately 1990–2013), matured in small Argonne oak barrels and layered with Fine Champenois grape spirit.
  

• The must is made from the later pressings of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay—richer in phenolic depth than base Champagne juice—fortified with brandy and aged to create complexity and consistency over time.
  

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Gleams with a deep amber hue full of copper highlights, verging on a reddish cast—a nod to its maturity and richness.
  

• Aromas: Enticing aromas of cherry preserve, dried apricot, honey, almond, turmeric spice, and subtle rancio notes emerge beautifully. Additional layers of orange peel, quince jelly, chocolate, and nutty complexity reveal themselves with time.
  

• Palate & Texture: On the palate, it’s sumptuously smooth and silky, with maltose sweetness, marzipan, nougat, candied ginger, and a herbal whisper reminiscent of cough syrup and eucalyptus—all brightened by crystalline clarity of fruit.
  

• Finish: Exceptionally long and refined, it closes with lingering notes of hazelnut, crème brûlée, and a fresh, clean line of acidity that keeps it balanced and bright.
  

Highlights at a Glance

Context & Pairings

• Critics cherish Ratafia Champenois as Champagne’s hidden gem, a richly aromatic fortified wine with textures and depth akin to aged Madeira or sherry—yet entirely its own.
  

• Ideal as a dessert wine or digestif, it pairs remarkably well with foie gras, salted-sweet confits, rich cheeses, or fruit-forward desserts.
  

Summary

The Henri Giraud Solera Ratafia de Champagne is a rare and masterful expression of Ratafia—an opulent, deeply layered fortified wine that resonates with both maturity and elegance. That flush of candied fruit, sweet spice, and minerality makes it irresistible yet refined.

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The name Ratafia refers to an ancient method of preserving fruit that dates back to the 1300s, usually a liqueur or a fortified wine flavored with peach, apricot, or cherry pits, or bitter almonds. In the case of the Giraud Solera Ratafia de Champagne, it’s an golden-glinted blend of 30% Chardonnay and 70% Pinot from the Aÿ that has been fortified with brandy. In addition, it’s a Solera-style, and so, is the product of many vintages assembled together.

The resulting wine exhibits layered, multifarious aromas of hazelnuts, orange marmalade, steeped black cherries, coco powder and even a subtle, provocative top note of rancio. Silky smooth, with the weight of a tawny, and only moderately sweet.