Vibrant and saline with a medium body, tangy acidity and a textured, almost oily palate. Serious and structured Blanc de Noirs with notes of grapefruit, salted almonds, apricot skin and stones. Tight bubbles. Gourmand. 40% perpetual reserve. Drink or hold.

Hommage au Pinot Noir NV is a Blanc de Noirs has an open knit, redolent and rich nose with notes of red berry coulis, baked peaches, butter pastry, acacia honey and an oxidized nutty note. The medium to full-bodied palate shows incredible acid freshness embracing a pure red fruit core through an elegant, long finish. - Sarah Mayo

A harmonious Champagne, with notes of tea rose, lime blossoms and star anise acting as a fragrant skein that winds throughout. Shows a fine, raw silk–like texture, with the aromatic profile accenting flavors of raw almond, crème de cassis, steeped raspberry and candied pink grapefruit zest. Drink now through 2028. — A.N.

This pours bronze and notably open-stanced, with roasted apple, dried pear and bay leaf. The Pinot expression is insistent, though, with raspberry tart and dried apricot richness, even if it has a little wild side. A stylistic outlier in the tasting, with more oxygen influence than most, but one that will certainly find fans. Pinot Noir from Aÿ, in the Vallée de la Marne.

Anchored in the 2020 vintage and incorporating one-third wine from a perpetual reserve initiated in 1990, Giraud’s NV Hommage au Pinot Noir was disgorged in April 2024 with a dosage of five grams per liter. Sourced primarily from Aÿ and supplemented by fruit from Mutigny, Avenay-Val-d'Or, Dizy and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, it was matured in barrels between three to six years old. It unfurls with aromas of mirabelle plum, candied orange and apricot mingling with exotic spices. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and precise, with vibrant acidity and a long finish. While the 2021-based releases show a more incisive profile, this 2020-based bottling offers greater gourmandise and textural appeal. - Kristaps Karklins

The NV Hommage au Pinot Noir is a blend from Aÿ and five villages in its periphery, based on 2020. This is an especially airy, aromatic Pinot Noir-based Champagne. The Hommage sees an additional time of six to nine months in tank after aging in oak. Late bottling yields a particularly subtle Champagne, one that emphasizes nuance more than power. Disgorged: March 26, 2024 -- Antonio Galloni