Aÿ, April 18, 2023 – The Henri Giraud estate is making Champagne history once again by announcing today the launch of its first 100% Perpetual Reserve Champagne. PR 90-19 is a blend of two Perpetual Reserves (soleras), the first dating from 1990 and nourished each year by an Aÿ Grand Cru, and the second nourished by the Esprit de Giraud since the 1950s. The most recent vintage incorporated into these reserves, and present in this cuvée, comes from the 2019 harvest.
Emmanuelle Giraud, CEO, commented: “The Perpetual Reserves represent the concentrated extract that we find in all Henri Giraud champagnes. It is both a secret and a legacy, but it is also a concentrate of the history of the House and our unrivaled style. To each generation falls the responsibility to use the reserves with precision to bring out the best in each cuvée. For the first time in its history, and that of Champagne, we are today revealing the original taste of a 100% Perpetual Reserve cuvée.”
At the Domaine Henri Giraud in Aÿ, the Perpetual Reserves, undoubtedly the oldest in Champagne, have been the family’s most carefully preserved heirloom for many generations. They have become a reference since they embody all the values that this independent champagne house holds most dear: they symbolize well-being, energy, and the source of rejuvenation.
Vibration, relativity, and ethereality… Sébastien Le Golvet, master of our cellar and of time, has dedicated more than 10 years to mastering this explosive creation. The inspiration came to him while planning was under way to transform the vat room into a revolutionary ‘zero stainless steel’ cellar in 2010. A section of the cellar was excavated to five meters below the Marne riverbed to house eight heavy concrete vats. This sanctum, where the temperature is a constant 10.5°C, is protected both by the subterranean water and concrete. This makes it the ideal place to store the Perpetual Reserves without consuming either carbon or energy. Here, textures mellow and the aromas of an accumulation of harvests gently percolate in an impressive freshness, thus retaining an indelible trace of decades of creation and pursuit of excellence.
PR 90-19 introduces amazing energy to a great white wine and opens up a whole new dimension: one in which space and time are suspended, and in which complexity, fruit, and spirituality intertwine with shimmering wreaths of orange blossom shot through with flashes of chalk and bitter minerality. It channels this fantastic energy, born of the fusion of Champagne’s hundred-million-year-old twin marine terroirs – Aÿ’s chalk and Argonne’s gaize – into a long, saline river, perfumed with subtle aromas. Here emotion, carried to its height, borders on the mystical. The very first, super-rare PR 90-19 was presented during one of the #ExperienceHenriGiraud 2022 workshops reserved for champagne experts from around the world. Critic James Suckling commented: “A vinous champagne with so much depth and soft power. Complex, but with wonderful drinkability. Converges with precision at the end. Very deep. Blend of two solar systems of Perpetual Reserve. 96 POINTS.”
About Domaine Henri Giraud
Henri Giraud is a family-owned Champagne House located in Aÿ-Champagne since the 17th century. It combines a unique viticultural heritage, rooted in exceptional Champagne terroirs where Pinot Noir reigns supreme, with remarkable expertise in blending and aging, making it one of the most amazing players in Champagne. The House is closely tied to its terroir, forging its own path away from trends, and for over a dozen generations has been committed to elevating the reputation of its cuvées, persistently proving that great sparkling wines are not just for celebratory bubbles, but are authentic gastronomic wines that gracefully defy time.
