Henri Giraud Dame Jane Brut Rose Champagne

D&M NOTES:

TASTING: (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay) The nose opens with aromas of orange peel, clay minerality, spices, cranberry, and a light suggestion of stone fruits. On the palate this is moderate in weight with the sandstone vessel contributing minerality to the spice tinged blood orange and apricot fruit tone.

PRODUCTION: (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay) Goddess of fertility, a terracotta statuette from the end of prehistory, Dame-Jane symbolizes their link to the earth and the origin of wine. Raising a great rosé champagne in terracotta is not common.More than 50 amphoras are now dedicated to the vinification and ageing of Dame-Jane. The famous turries (medium capacity container, exclusively made of sandston) of Damghan, a small Persian town on the Silk Road, now watch over the treasure of the house. Aged for at least 3 years on lees. 

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: With a history stretching back to 1625, this small Grower-Producer from the Aÿ is today under the leadership of 12th generation family member Claude Giraud and Cellar Master Sebastien LeGolvet. The house remains committed to the highest standards of excellence using fruit from its sustainably farmed Grand Cru terroir vineyards. Quite distinctively, they build their own oak barrels from carefully selected trees from the famed Argonne forest and use these to age their grand cuvées. At the same time, they explore the use of smaller vessels made of alternative materials including terracotta and sandstone to enhance the textures and flavors of their wines. The results are wines that balance power with finesse and elegance, in the vein of Krug, Bollinger, Egly-Ouriet and Jacquesson.