Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Vintage 2016 Étui

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Under the leadership of its brilliant cellar master Benoît Gouez, Moët has progressed without compromising its fundamentals: fruitiness, balance, accessibility, captivating aging potential, and a fresh style that strives for precision. The cuvées are free from dosage, in line with advances in viticulture and cutting-edge technical research. The wines offer a glimpse of an extra dimension. The house's flagship wines, Imperial and Rosé Imperial, are champagnes of impressive aromatic precision and finesse. The blends are meticulously crafted. The vintages display a distinctive stylistic imprint, as exemplified by the latest 2013, an atypical vintage that is remarkably successful. The "grande maison" is in fine form.

Decanter

About wine:

The Grand Vintage 2016 perfectly encapsulates the strengths of the year: beautiful maturity without heaviness, a compact structure, and good aging potential. It is a characteristic Moët vintage, clean and lively, with aromas of fresh baguette, satsuma, sweet red apple, and strawberry, all framed by the toasted yeast aromas typical of the house. There is a certain concentration and vinosity, even with the house's delicate style and its precise, meringue-like mousse. This vintage seems destined to become one of the best Moët vintages of recent years.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

One of the oldest Champagne houses, founded in 1743 by Claude Moët, a vineyard owner. In the early 19th century, his grandson Jean-Rémy gave the company an international dimension, with the help of his son-in-law Pierre-Gabriel Chandon de Briailles. Their heirs consolidated the brand's success, making it the best known and best selling in the world. Today, Moët & Chandon, with 1,190 hectares of vineyards in 234 crus (50% of which are grand crus) and 28 km of cellars, continues to expand within the powerful LVMH group. Its ambitions were realized in 2012 with the inauguration of a vast contemporary-style winery on the Mont Aigu site in Oiry, at the foot of the Côte des Blancs, which complements its historic facilities in Épernay. Benoît Gouez has been the cellar master since 2005.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About wine:

The nose is fresh and youthful, with elegant notes of white fruit. With aeration, more toasted aromas appear, combining toast, roasted hazelnut, and baked apple. The freshness returns strongly in a delicate and taut body, with a fine string of lively bubbles. The white fruits are still present, accompanied by notes of pine sap, warm spices, and fresh pineapple. Full-bodied, round, and well-balanced, with a beautiful bitter finish. Enjoy with a chicken tagine or Japanese curry.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

A beautiful definition combining maturity and freshness. The juice is flavorful with a good level of maturity. The nose is quite deep. The juice is of good quality with a full mid-palate possessing the tension of the 2016 vintage, which contrasts with the final dosage. The wine is long and drawn out, true to the vintage.

About the estate:

LVMH is the most powerful player in Champagne in terms of the size of its vineyards (around 1,200 hectares, only a quarter of its needs!) and the distribution of its brands (Moët, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Krug, Mercier). Within this galaxy, Moët is the world's best-selling champagne, with Brut Impérial as its flagship product, accounting for 85% of its production. Under the leadership of the excellent cellar master Benoît Gouez, Moët demonstrates impressive consistency in terms of the volumes produced. These creamy wines, with their toasted and citrus notes, reassure consumers wherever they are in the world. Alongside Brut Imperial, the house produces Grand Vintage wines that gain in definition and depth with each passing vintage.

James Suckling

About wine:

This champagne has a lovely salinity, with notes of Asian pears, anise, candied lemons, chalk, and biscuits. It is mineral and harmonious, with beautiful transparency and brilliance. Fine bubbles. 48% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir, and 18% Meunier. Dosage of 5 g/L. Disgorged in March 2023. Drink now or keep.

Jeb Dunnuck