Henri Giraud Esprit Nature

Esprit Nature is the brut-nature expression in the Henri Giraud range, sitting below the oak-fermented prestige Fût de Chêne (covered in 0011) and the maison's vintage line. The blend is Pinot Noir-led and Chardonnay-rounded, drawn from the family's holdings in Aÿ, the Pinot Noir grand cru on the south flank of the Montagne de Reims that has anchored the house since the 1620s.

Like the rest of the range, the wine is partly vinified in small Argonne-oak casks — Henri Giraud's distinctive use of locally-sourced French oak from the Argonne forest. The cuvée is bottled with zero added sugar at disgorgement, framing the underlying Aÿ Pinot character without the rounding effect of dosage.