2004 Champagne Henri Giraud, Argonne, Grand Cru, Äy, Brut

Straw yellow towards golden in color, the sumptuous 2004 A Grand Cru Argonne Brut from 70-year-old Pinot Noir vines offers a very clear and discreet, yet complex and Burgundian bouquet with elegant flavors of white and yellow fleshed fruits, citrus aromas (the whole range from oranges and mandarins to lemons), gooseberries, mushrooms, juniper and fresh oak. Fermented and raised on the full lees for one year in Argonne oak barrels (30% of which were new), this is a full-bodied, rich and filigree-structured, very elegant, precisely defined and finesse-full A Champagne. It has remarkable freshness and mineral stringency. Less rich and round than the Ft de Chne, the tightly woven, yet bright and lifted Argonne is more built on mineral purity, finesse and elegance. The finish is firm but amazing, and indicates a great ageing potential. All in all, this is a fascinating, age-worthy new luxury cuve. Total production is 8,000 bottles.Stephan Reinhardt - 30/06/2016