Champagne Henri Giraud Blanc de Craie NV 750ml

Champagne Henri Giraud carries genuine historical weight — the Giraud-Hémart family first settled permanently in Aÿ at the start of the 17th century, contemporaries of Henri IV, and the estate remains one of the oldest family-run wine properties in all of Champagne. Today it's guided by Claude Giraud, the twelfth generation of the family, particularly renowned for his craftsmanship with Pinot Noir — though Blanc de Craie takes the house in a different direction entirely, built around 100% Chardonnay rather than the Pinot Noir the family is best known for.

What sets Henri Giraud apart from most Champagne houses is a genuinely distinctive technical approach: rather than relying on stainless steel, the house ferments and ages its wines in oak barrels — some three to five years old — with Blanc de Craie's Chardonnay sourced predominantly from Aÿ (roughly 55%) and Louvois (45%), including a substantial component of perpetual reserve wine, typically running 33 to 50% depending on the specific release, aged on lees for extended periods to build genuine complexity. The wine takes its name directly from the region's chalk ("craie") soils — a terroir the estate's own poetic house copy describes as "so discreet that it is forgotten, so present that it gives strength and life." With total production capped around 250,000 bottles across the entire house, and only a few thousand bottles of its grande cuvées released each year, Henri Giraud remains a genuine collector's name in Champagne.

Falstaff awarded a genuine 95 Points in its 2022 International Champagne Henri Giraud tasting, describing "a subtle golden colour" shimmering, with the nose exhibiting "notes of salty caramel and even maple syrup with a greenish overtone of moss." Wine.com's extended tasting found "aromas of mirabelle, anise, licorice, herbs and ripe orchard fruits," the palate "medium to full-bodied, vinous and textural," "perfectly balanced, with a round, supple mid-palate that segues into a saline, long and ethereal finish." Normanby Fine Wines' tasting describes the wine opening "with vibrant aromas of lemon zest, verbena, and honeysuckle," delivering "toasted hazelnut, vanilla and orchard fruit notes" on the palate, "a supple, vinous texture perfectly balanced by racy acidity, leading into a saline, lingering finish." Hedonism Wines calls it simply "fruity and floral with elegant flavours of peach, lemon verbena and honeysuckle." This is genuinely distinctive, oak-fermented Grand Cru Chardonnay Champagne — a real departure from the more common stainless-steel house style, from a family with nearly four centuries of history in the region.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Champagne Henri Giraud traces its origins to 1625, when the Giraud-Hémart family, contemporaries of Henri IV and his descendants, permanently settled in Aÿ, in the heart of Champagne. The family cultivated grapes in the region for centuries before beginning to produce wine under its own label in 1990, and the estate remains one of the oldest family-run wine properties in Champagne, now guided by Claude Giraud, the twelfth generation of the family.

Blanc de Craie is a 100% Chardonnay cuvée, sourced roughly 55% from the village of Aÿ and 45% from Louvois. The wine is fermented and aged in oak barrels, some three to five years old, on lees, incorporating a substantial proportion of perpetual reserve wine — a continuously blended reserve system established in the mid-1990s, typically contributing 33 to 50% of the final blend depending on the specific release. Total production across the entire Henri Giraud house is capped around 250,000 bottles.

Critics Reviews

Falstaff — 95 Points (International Champagne Henri Giraud Tasting, 2022):
"A subtle golden colour shimmers while the nose exhibits notes of salty caramel and even maple syrup with a greenish overtone of moss."

Decanter 96 Points:
"....subtle, elegant Chardonnay profile with notes of fresh apples and marzipan, as well as a lively nose of lemon and verbena."

James Suckling: 94–95 points:
"... chalky aromas, creamy yet sharp palate, and refined structure with hints of salt and flint. "

Hedonism Wines (extended tasting note):
"Fruity and floral with elegant flavours of peach, lemon verbena and honeysuckle."

Baron François (extended tasting note):
"The first nose is very marked by the fruit. Notes of citrus fruits, very fresh and pleasant, then, in a second stage, more exotic fruit aromas (pineapple, lychees). The mouth, very greedy, offers a frank and tonic attack thanks to a beautiful minerality."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Subtle golden colour with light green reflections. Lemon zest, verbena, and honeysuckle lead, joined by mirabelle plum, anise, licorice, and ripe orchard fruit, alongside citrus and exotic fruit — pineapple and lychee.

Palate
Medium to full-bodied, vinous and textural, with toasted hazelnut, vanilla, and orchard fruit carrying real depth, balanced by racy, tonic acidity and genuine chalk-driven minerality.

Finish
Saline, long, and ethereal, closing with lingering fruit and mineral character — a genuinely refined, food-friendly finish reflecting the house's oak-fermented, perpetual-reserve style.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Fresh oysters and seafood
• Creamy cheeses
• Delicate white meats
• Light, citrus-forward dishes

Serving Note

Serve at 8-10°C in a tulip-shaped glass to enhance its aromatics and texture.