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Moët & Chandon is a French winery and co-owner of luxury goods company LVMH, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE. It is one of the world’s largest producers of champagne in the luxury segment.
For more than two centuries, Moet Chandon champagne has satisfied the thirst of emperors, kings, queens, senior statesmen, as well as other wealthy people.
History Moet Chandon
Moet et Chandon was founded by Epernay wine merchant Claude Moet in 1743.
When Claude started shipping his sparkling wine from Champagne to Paris, he was the first winemaker in Champagne to exclusively produce sparkling wine.
The company’s first name was Moët et Cie (Moët & Co.), but this changed to Moet et Chandon in 1832 after Pierre-Gabriel Chandon became a partner with Victor Moet, Claude Moet’s great-grandson.
However, it was Jean-Remy, Claude’s grandson, who greatly improved the brand to the international standard it is today. His travels to other parts of France, business acumen, deals and visionary ideas have all contributed to the growth of the brand.
Jean-Remy’s work was fueled by his belief that champagne, in every sense, should exude pleasure when drunk.
By the time Jean-Remy retired and left behind Victor Moet and son-in-law Pierre-Gabriel Chandon de Brial, the brand was already France’s leading champagne house.
In 1840, the concept of vintage champagne appeared, and already in 1842, the first vintage series of Moet and Chandon went on sale.
The first bestseller was Brut Imperial, introduced in 1860.
In 1971 and 1987 Moët & Chandon merged with Hennessy Cognac and Louis Vuitton to become LVMH (Louis-Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy). This merger made their conglomerate the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate.
Today, Moët & Chandon produces over 26 million bottles a year.
Production process Moet Chandon
Moët & Chandon goes a long way before being put on the shelf with a close attention to quality, precision and uniqueness, as well as the variety offered by the different collections.
Wines are a mixture of three varieties of champagne: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay from the vineyards of the five main areas of Champagne.
Pinot Noir gives the wine structure and intensity, with hints of berries.
Pinot Meunier for elasticity, roundness and fullness.
Chardonnay is the cause of acidity, elegance and freshness.
Vineyards Moet Chandon are located on 1000 hectares and are classified as Grand Cru (classification of the highest quality grapes).
The grapes are harvested to make the cuvée, after which the still white wine is blended and left to ferment.
During fermentation, yeast and sugar are added.
“Circulation”, the so-called champagne, is placed in a glass bottle with thick walls and closed with a lid. It is then placed in a cool cellar (12-15 degrees) and allowed to ferment slowly, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide.
During fermentation, yeast cells die, and after a few months, fermentation is completed. However, the wine continues to age so that it develops a yeasty taste.
To achieve the best result, champagne is aged for five years or more.
In the pre-final stage, the champagne bottle is placed upside down at a 75 degree angle and rotated regularly 1/8 of a turn.
After the dead yeast is removed, a mixture of white wine, brandy and sugar is added to adjust the sweetness level of pure white champagne.
Vintage Champagnes use 100% grapes from the same year’s harvest.
Types Moet Chandon
The company’s vineyards are the largest in Champagne, the grapes are harvested by hand.
Sparkling wine is aged and matured in cellars that are over 270 years old. It is in this place that champagne acquires its refined character and is filled with a richness of flavors.
Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial
White dry champagne brut, has an elegant straw-yellow color with greenish hues.
It is a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes.
The drink is characterized by a luxurious taste created by a hint of ripe pears, peaches, apples, which is gently intertwined with juicy notes of citrus and gooseberries. The wine leaves a magical aftertaste.
The fragrance begins with a fresh fragrance of green apples and citrus fruits, then a pleasant floral scent is captured in combination with touches of pastries and nuts.
Sparkling is perfect as an aperitif. Can be served with fish dishes, seafood appetizers, goat cheese, Brie cheese. It also goes well with desserts and fruits.
Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial
White champagne brut, refers to semi-dry. It has a pleasant light yellow color.
The taste is inherent in a certain oiliness, a pronounced shade of grape nectar.
The aroma combines the sourness of berries and sparkling spice.
It goes well with fish, white meat in cream sauce, fruits.
Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial
Dry pink champagne.
The taste of champagne is the result of careful selection of Pinot grapes. The freshness of fruits is felt in it, forest berries especially prevail.
In the smell of the drink, notes of red berries, especially blackberries and strawberries, are most clearly captured.
The wine goes well with dishes of lamb, suckling pig, eggplant, salmon, rabbit. An excellent choice for an aperitif.
Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage
Dry white brut champagne. It has an elegant yellow-golden color, in which iridescent overflows can be traced.
The rich taste of wine intoxicates with nuances of licorice and resin.
The fragrance of walnut and almond creates a pleasant summer aroma, which is gradually diluted with notes of citrus, fresh mint and green coffee.
This bouquet ends with noble mango and peach, crowned with the sweetness of jasmine and hawthorn.
This champagne should be served as an aperitif.
Moet & Chandon Large Vintage Pink
Dry pink champagne, with catchy golden highlights.
Balance is felt in the taste, slight sourness is felt, smoothed by fruity freshness.
Gradually, new accents open up in it, attention shifts to floral notes and touches of hot pepper.
The aroma of wine begins with a cherry tint, tones of plums and prunes. Further, wild herbs, dried rose petals, rosemary and saffron join.
It is recommended to drink the drink either in its pure form or with delicious snacks.
How to distinguish a fake Moet Chandon
Before buying alcohol, you should carefully study the product you wish to purchase. We advise you to follow the instructions to buy original Moet & Chandon sparkling wine without confusing it with a fake:
Real Moet & Chandon champagne is bottled in a classic shape. It is made from tinted glass.
On the bottom of the bottle you can see embossed pimples, which are necessary for even gluing the label. The bottom is rather convex, decorated with a pattern around the perimeter.
Labels of original high quality champagne. The main one contains information about the name of the drink, its strength and the volume of the bottle.
The neck of the bottle is wrapped with brand foil.
All labels of French champagne are glued neatly, without smudges and other incorrectness. If poor-quality work is visible, this indicates a falsification.
Traditional cork – made of cork material, there is a metal protection. Brand elements are observed on every detail. If another cork is caught or there are no brand inscriptions, then this indicates that the product is a fake.
Pay attention to the first two digits of the barcode. In the original version, you will find numbers from “30” to “37”, most often “31”. Any other barcode indicates that the drink is produced outside of France and is not original.
Follow these recommendations and purchase only high-quality goods.
Relevance: 05.05.2018
Tags: Wine and vermouth, Sparkling wine brands