Henri Giraud Argonne Brut Grand Cru 2004

The Goutorbe family has been producing estate-bottled champagne in Aÿ since the late 1940s, but even before that they were already established as pépiniéristes, nurserymen for propagating vine cuttings. Emile Goutorbe established the nursery business just after the First World War, while he was the vineyard manager for Perrier-Jouët, and the success of this business eventually allowed him to purchase some parcels of vines in the area. His son Henri created the Goutorbe label, bottling and selling some champagne while continuing the nursery business. In 1970, Henri’s son René took over the estate, expanding the vineyard holdings and enlarging and modernizing the winery. Today they own 25 hectares, a considerable quantity for a champagne grower, planted with 70 percent pinot noir, 27 percent chardonnay and three percent meunier. The jewel of Goutorbe’s vineyard holdings is their six hectares of Aÿ grand cru, although they also own vines in several other villages, including Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Bisseuil, Avenay Val d’Or and Hautvillers.