Henri Giraud wine cellars are highly regarded by gourmets around the world. However, for those seeking a unique, holistic experience, there is another asset: the house's cigar cellar. Henri Giraud talks about the many connections between the worlds of Champagne and cigars. Aromatic interconnectedness, comparable retro-olfactory sensations, and complexity of flavors provide excellent opportunities for harmonious blending.
Contents:
- Cigars and Champagne: the union of two unique worlds
- Ratafia Champenois with extended aging
- The Ratafia Champenois production process
Cigars and Champagne: the union of two unique worlds
The similarities between the worlds of cigars and wine extend much further than one might think, encompassing aromas, flavors, and combinations. In fine cigars, as in Champagne, specific terroirs give them depth and uniqueness. Only a complex and full-bodied cigar can create the same swirl of flavors needed to pair with a fine Champagne cuvée. Indeed, there are many similarities between the production of great cigars and Henri Giraud Champagne.
Different terroirs, varieties, and qualities of tobacco leaf or grape must, obtained through separate fermentations and brought together for long maturation, sometimes in oak barrels for particularly high-quality batches, undergo alchemical transformations and mature in small tanks, resulting in the outstanding complexity that is the hallmark of a great cigar and a great champagne.
For Henri Giraud, these skills and abilities closely link the two worlds. It's a ‘family trait’ that suggests the possibility of any kind of connection. The most exciting? The combination is known as ‘Beauty and the Beast’, where a Partagas E2 cigar harmonizes with an Esprit Nature cuvée: a striking contrast of heat and cold, a perfect pairing for a fresh-flavored aperitif. If you are looking for more harmonious than contrasting combinations, however, we recommend the power and complexity of the Argonne Aÿ Grand Cru.
Ratafia Champenois with extended aging
The year 2021 has proven to be particularly significant in the search for new experiences thanks to the creation of the unique Ratafia Champenois. Designed as the perfect accompaniment to a fine cigar, Henri Giraud's Ratafia Champenois ‘Vieillissement Prolongé’ is above all an immersion in a family tradition that dates back to 1625 and is at the heart of Champagne's history. A legacy of Champagne culture and flavor, this liqueur has long been a popular stomach remedy!
Combining medical and social traditions, Ratafia Champenois is now recognized as a refined beverage, appreciated as a natural liqueur, and used by bartenders to create innovative cocktails.
The Ratafia Champenois production process
The production process of Ratafia Champenois is closely related to the vinification process used to create the base of Champagne wines. The Champagne press is loaded with 4,000 kilos of grapes; the first juice is pressed to make Champagne using the traditional method, while the last 116 liters of juice from the unfermented must are allocated to the production of Ratafia Champenois, which is the essence of Ratafia. This juice is treated with the same care as that destined for Champagne, after which it is distilled into eau de vie from Champagne wine.
The production process is as natural as possible, preserving the true flavor of fresh grapes as well as their nutritional and textural characteristics. Henri Giraud's Ratafia Champenois ‘Vieillissement Prolongé’ has become an exciting new element that allows for increasingly marvelous combinations.
Even as generations change on the estate, the energy generated by these combinations of flavors, textures, and artisanal traditions that are the hallmarks of truly special moments in life continue to inspire the Henri Giraud experience.