From the moment you walk through the gates at Champagne Henri Giraud in Aÿ, there’s a sense that this is a house with a difference.
The celebrated grand cru vineyards of Aÿ are associated with names such as Bollinger, Deutz, Gosset and Ayala: houses that exude a sense of classicism and heritage with their cast-iron gates, quiet hallways and historic cellars.
Step into Henri Giraud, on the other hand, and you’ll see a Japanese water feature, twisting forms of glass and steel, and wall-to-wall colour.
There’s even a cigar room. In an age in which restraint is the default setting for everything in Champagne – from the wines themselves to the design and communication that surrounds them – Giraud wears its heart on its sleeve.
This is a house that isn’t afraid of a little hedonism, a little decadence, a little fun.
See Hewson’s notes and scores for six Champagnes from the historic house of Henri Giraud
{"content":"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"}
Hewson’s pick: Six of the best Henri Giraud bottlings
{}
{"wineId":"102207","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"102208","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"102209","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"102210","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"102211","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"102212","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
Related articles