The NV Brut Code Noir (Pinot Noir) is a totally seductive, sexy wine blessed with extraordinary purity in its layers of rich, expansive fruit. The Code Noir is not a wine for the timid, as it literally overtakes the senses with a heady, sensual expression of fruit. The bouquet alone is magnificent, but it is matched pound for pound by the wine’s stunning fruit and long, polished close. The oak is very nicely balanced and is felt mostly in the wine’s rich, weighty texture, although hints of sweet vanillin and spices linger on the finish. This is Lot C2I04E50, disgorged September, 2007. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2018. Claude Giraud makes some of the most unique, individualistic wines in Champagne. All of the wines bear the unmistakable stamp of the Grand Cru vineyards of Ay. The top selections (Code Noir and Fut de Chene) are vinified and aged in oak, which plays an important role in shaping many of the finest wines here. At their best, the Giraud Champagnes offer incredible intensity, class and balance. Importer: Old World Wines Inc., Destin, FL; tel. (850) 267-3719