+126% Over The Last Five Years: Invest In The Latest Release Of Giraud's Top Champagne

"Henri Giraud, the greatest Champagne you've never heard of"

The above is a statement from Robert Parker himself, and when you see the name Henri Gireaud, the chances that you will agree are probably high. It is not often that new shooting stars emerge in Champagne. But Henri Giraud is an exception.  

This is about a masterful micro-production of a few thousand bottles that has made its entrance from a small exclusive, French clientele to the big stage. That has created large price increases in older vintages and at the same time made it more or less impossible to obtain. Now it's about the latest release that you can now invest in before they disappear from the market.

Henri Giraud - here the old traditions are rewarded

Henri Giraud is something as rare as an independent and family-run Champagne house. Claude Gireaud is the 12th generation in the nearly 400-year-old enterprise, and despite the long history that makes Henri Giraud one of the oldest houses in Champagne, it is only in recent years that the Giraud shooting star has been ignited . 

Henri Giraud owns approx. 12 ha of land on fine fields in Aÿ, but in addition to the fixed agreements for the purchase of grapes, Giraud Champagne is produced from a total of 25 ha. 

But it is not only Giraud's fantastic plots, many of which have grand cru status, that are the significant and character-creating features of Henri Giraud's Champagnes. The masterpieces start already in the nearby Argonne forest, where the ancient oak trees supply timber for the house's special oak barrels, which are used in the house's production. Oak barrels in Champagne production were otherwise almost phased out at the advent of steel tanks in the 1960s, but a few houses have made the oak barrels their trademark and noble brand - including Henri Giraud, Krug and Selosse. 

“This is the way I think Krug SHOULD taste” 

- Robert Parker on Henri Giraud Argonne 

The special oak barrels, locally produced originating in the nearby forest, are, according to the current wine maker at Giraud, Claude Giraud, the symbiotic puzzle piece that completes the house's unique Champagnes. 

Henri Giraud stands behind a range of different cuvées, but at the top of the hierarchy we find a Champagne bearing the same name in honor of the Argonne forest; Argonne. 

These bottles are masterpieces and are also treated as follows: From the avant-garde closure of the bottle to the fact that they are delivered individually in high quality wooden cases. 

Rare Champagne In Micro Production

The first Argonne comes from the 2002 vintage and with this included, only Argonne has been produced from a total of six vintages. Giraud Argonne is already a rare case at the time of creation. According to Wine Advocate, only 8,000 bottles were produced in the 2004 vintage, which in Champagne terminology is a microscopic production. 

In the 2008 vintage, only 4,000 bottles were produced according to Wine Advocate. 

It has not been possible to confirm exactly how many bottles have been produced from the 2013 vintage covered by this investment tip, but there is no indication that there should be more than in the 2004 vintage. 

The extremely limited production is also reflected in a virtually non-existent offering on wine-searcher.com. Currently, there are no available quantities of any vintages other than the 2013 vintage as the only one. Here, on the other hand, there are also only two options, where the cheapest right now is € 365* 

 Your investment price right now is € 310* 

*Pr. bottle ex duty, VAT and tax in whole boxes and perfect condition 

Giraud and Liv-ex Power 100

Every year, the British wine exchange, Liv-ex, makes a summary of the past year, and makes a top 100 list of the year's hottest wines based on a calculation that includes trade volume and price development. For wines in extremely limited production, this list can be difficult to get into, as it requires something like Domaine Leroy brand power to offset the lower trading activity that results from the limited quantities. Despite this, Henri Giraud was still mentioned in the 2020 Power 100 list from January 2021. According to the report, Henri Giraud was the 3rd best overall performer measured by % price development. 

RareWine Invest’s Opinion

Argonne from Henri Giraud is simply a masterpiece in the Champagne world and is by virtue of its approach to production and with respect for its heritage on its way to the top of Champagne. 

Henri Giraud has gone from being a well-kept French secret to gaining international honors and recognition as well as the favor of the discerning Champagne connoisseurs. 

The quality is towering and the production extremely limited - in fact so limited that across the six vintages ever produced by Argonne, there have probably never been more than 48,000 bottles. Total. Ever.  

Giraud has everything it takes to become one of the great Champagne stars of the future - and Argonne a true Champagne treasure. 

Even without the lurking Champagne drought and the ever-increasing demand for the bubbling drops, this is a rare case, you now get the opportunity to buy young and at a low price.