Henri Giraud "Fut de Chene" MV18

 Described by Robert Parker as "the finest Champagne house virtually no one has ever heard of.
 
The Henri Giraud Fut de Chene MV18 is a multi-vintage champagne that represents the house`s flagship cuvée. The ‘MV’ in the name stands for "multi-vintage," indicating that the wine is a blend of different vintages, while "18" refers to the base vintage of the blend. This particular cuvée is unique because it is aged in French oak barrels, which is not a common practice in the Champagne region. The oak barrels, or ‘futs de chene’ in French, contribute to the wine`s complexity, depth, and rich flavours. The blend typically includes both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, sourced from the finest vineyards in the region.
 
The MV18 is a blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, two-thirds comes from the 2018 vintage and the final third from a ‘perpetual reserve’ of aged wines that was begun in 1990 and that adds immense complexity and character. The wine is aged in its bottle for a further 5 years.