Today we're back with something from Henri Giraud - not champagne this time, but rather a fortified wine! As a big fan of fortified wines, this was something I was really looking forward to.

As a quick introduction, Henri Giraud is rather much an insider's champagne producer, actually the oldest family-owned actively producing Champagne house - so why haven't you heard of it? The estate, located in the highly prized Aÿ central cru of Champagne with a terroir loved by even King Henri IV of France who called himself the Lord of Aÿ, goes all the way back to 1625, but up until 1990, operated only as a grower and subsequently even when they had made their own wines, would sell all of it to other champagne houses.

Claude Giraud.

It wasn't until 12th generation Claude Giraud, who decided that he had wanted to produce champagnes under the name of his family's estate. He also had a desire to go back to a more traditional style of champagne making which would see the use of local wood from the nearby Argonne forest (where most producers today typically use Bordeaux wood instead). He combined his Aÿ Grand Cru terroir (only 17 of Champagne's 323 crus are Grand Cru) with a Pinot Noir focus, that is then enriched with the use of Argonne oak ageing, to create a champagne that is both unique but stylistically traditional. All vinification by Henri Giraud is done with only natural ingredients and instead of stainless steel tanks, the producer has opted for again more traditional terracotta ovoids.

And whilst Henri Giraud's high regard is built upon its champagnes, lesser known is that the estate also produces still wines and fortified wines which are no less important. As Claude Giraud himself states, amazing champagne start with amazing wines.

With that said, let's get down to trying Henri Giraud's Ratafia Champenois Solera. This is made from wines (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay) from 1990 to 2016, blended together with Fine Champenois (or Fine Champagne) that is aged in toasted small Argonne oak barrels using a Solera method of creating more harmony and consistency. The process of creating Ratafia (fortified wine made from Champagne) involves using the last pressing of Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, after which it is fortified by adding grape brandy to the must. As it ages, older barrels are topped up with wines from younger barrels to continue ageing, which marries the vintages more cohesively. If your first thought was Spain's Sherry or Portugal's Madeira, then this could probably count as France's equivalent.

Let's give this a go!

Henri Giraud, Ratafia Champenois Solera S 90-16 - Review

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light Gold

Aroma: Really rich, dense and candied notes of yellow raisins - very concentrated, supported by organic honey, maltose candy, it's got a sort of freshness and light yeasty rawness.

Taste: Big candied sweetness, maltose candy, marzipan, candied ginger, nougat, it's lightly herbal with abit of Pei Pa Koa cough syrup, some eucalyptus. Again - if all of the yellow raisins were concentrated into a liquid essence, this would be it. Really full bodied, great embodying of all these richer and sweeter flavours, with a tinge of brightness and herbal quality to it.

Finish: More of those sweet yellow raisins, gently recedes into a refreshing soft crispness. It's got this crystalline glistening elegance of something like maltose candy except it's got more structure and firmness and ends cleanly.

My Thoughts

This is incredibly enjoyable - I really loved the absolute richness and full body of it that is massaged with candied fruits and a herbal and slightly nutty quality to it. It's really enjoyable and while it feels dense and heavy, its flavours almost come off as crystalline and bright, which makes it very elegant with that contrast. I find this to be a sweeter alternative to say other fortified wines, with more brightness as well. Completely underrated, a definite must try for anyone who's into sweeter liqueurs or fortified wines.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot