Coteaux Champenois Cuvee des Froides Terres
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2032
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, wild mushroom risotto, roasted pork loin
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the legendary Grand Cru slopes of Aÿ, Henri Giraud's Coteaux Champenois Cuvée des Froides Terres is a rare and magnificent testament to Champagne's historic still red winemaking tradition, which once graced the tables of French monarchs. The name 'Froides Terres' (Cold Earth) refers to the specific cool, clay-dominant soils of the parcel, which temper the warmth of the Aÿ terroir to yield a Pinot Noir of exceptional tension, elegance, and aromatic purity. True to the house's signature philosophy, this still red is vinified and aged in oak casks sourced from the nearby Argonne Forest. This meticulous wood program imparts a seamless, velvety texture and a complex spice profile to the vibrant red fruit character, bridging the gap between the finesse of Champagne terroir and the structure of fine Burgundy.
🍾 About the Producer
Rooted in the historic Grand Cru village of Aÿ since 1625, Champagne Henri Giraud represents a benchmark in vinous, artisanal Champagne production. Stewarded by 12th-generation proprietor Claude Giraud alongside cellar master and son-in-law Sébastien Le Golvet, the house is renowned for championing Pinot Noir cultivated on deep, south-facing belemnite chalk slopes. Henri Giraud is celebrated for reviving the historical practice of fermenting and maturing base wines exclusively in new and seasoned casks coopered from local Argonne Forest oak, as well as sandstone and terracotta amphorae, entirely eliminating stainless steel. Viticulture adheres to rigorous sustainable standards, eschewing pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides under a certified zero-residue protocol. The estate produces richly textured, vinous champagnes defined by intense chalky minerality, structural depth, and micro-oxygenated nuance. Flagship cuvées include the prestigious vintage oak-aged Argonne, the perpetual reserve multi-vintage Fût de Chêne MV series, and the PR Perpetual Reserve bottlings.
🍇 Grapes
Pinot Noir
🍷 ABV
12-12.5%