From a luminous morning, through a dazzling zenith, to a vibrant twilight, Moët & Chandon unveils an exceptional trilogy of Grand Vintages, sharing their story of three luminous years: Grand Vintage 2015, Grand Vintage Collection 2006 and Grand Vintage Collection 1999. [ featured story by Moët & Chandon ]
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‘Each Grand Vintage is my interpretation of a specific year, and as such, is unique. This trilogy is composed of a Grand Vintage and two Grand Vintage Collection champagnes, all different, but products of relatively similar climatic conditions, forming a one-of-a-kind trio to tell their shared Tale of Light.’
Benoît Gouez – Cellar Master, Moët & Chandon
A tale of light
From March 2023, Moët & Chandon proposes three very distinctive Grand Vintages from its vast portfolio, presented together for their shared experience of spectacular luminescence in different summers to tell their shared “Tale of Light.”
Grand Vintage 2015, Grand Vintage Collection 2006 and Grand Vintage Collection 1999, reflecting the impact of different maturation periods of around seven, 15, and 21 years, were chosen by Cellar Master Benoît Gouez to narrate the story of the passage of time. When different champagnes with a common luminous experience are presented together, their characteristics are magnified and so each vintage reveals not just its own, but the greater tale of that shared experience of nature in Champagne. Just as the tone of light in the day reveals the passing of hours, or as one generation following another builds the saga of a whole family.
Each of these three champagnes is blended from the grapes picked only in the year that is etched on their label. While sharing the same dosage of 5g/liter for an extra-brut, each is specific in its composition and made of the highest quality still wines selected by the Cellar Master.
Grand Vintage 2015
Luminous Morning
Grand Vintage 2015, nicknamed “Luminous Morning” by Moët & Chandon’s cellar master, refers to the ardent sun that contributed to the unique profile of this mature, complex and charismatic blend. Its exceptional tenderness, characterized by ripeness and enveloping quality, derived from grapes harvested in 2015 that traversed a clement winter, a warm spring, and the dazzlingly bright light of a dry summer marked by a record heat. Grand Vintage 2015, the youngest of this trilogy, translates a sweet awakening in nature, enveloped by an intense dawn light. This Grand Vintage was matured in the cellars of Moët & Chandon for six years. Its profile reflects the strength of the Pinot Noir (44%) supported by Chardonnay (32%) and the presence of Meunier (24%).
Grand Vintage Collection 2006
Dazzling Zenith
The Grand Vintage Collection 2006 boasts a profile defined by Benoît Gouez himself as “smoky, full-bodied, and stretched.” It is made from grapes harvested in 2006, a year marked by a cold winter, frosty spring, and intermittent heat waves in summer followed by hot, dry conditions before harvest. A strong sun helped ripen the Chardonnay (42%), the healthiest of the grapes in an assemblage that also included a moderately ripe Pinot Noir (39%), and a relatively fragile Meunier (19%). This Grand Vintage, aged in cellars for 15 years before disgorgement in 2022, feels like the light at noon, when the sun is at its peak. A warm and radiant atmosphere highlights the generosity of this champagne.
Grand Vintage Collection 1999
Vibrant Twilight
A product of the harvest in 1999, the last of the millennium, Grand Vintage Collection 1999 is a warm, powerful, and generous champagne, made of grapes that sustained an erratically cold and wet winter, a warm spring, and a tropical end of summer marked by high heat and torrential rains. If anything, that year’s sunlight was memorable. The Meunier (31%) stood out amongst the other grape varietals, which explains its historically high ratio in a blend that also contained Pinot Noir (38%) and Chardonnay (31%). At harvest, the vines have never been so large, and so were their shadows, while all of nature emanated its end-of-day scent. This Vintage champagne was aged for 21 years in Moët & Chandon’s cellars until its disgorgement in 2022.
Each Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage is the product of a single harvest of a remarkable year. The Maison matures its Grand Vintages for around seven years on the lees with a crown cap seal and is the first disgorgement of a particular vintage declared by Benoît Gouez. Grand Vintage Collection are matured for a minimum of 14 years in the cellars on a cork closure and are the second disgorgement of a previously released Grand Vintage.
FOOD PAIRING
Moët & Chandon’s champagnes are designed to be enjoyed either on their own or with food, and the Vintages chosen for this trilogy are no exception.
Food pairing with each of the Vintage champagnes in the trilogy begins with the choice of a main ingredient (meat, fish, vegetable), to be cooked appropriately as a foundation to establish texture and juiciness that matches each wine’s ripeness. The pairing calls for adjusting salinity levels to underscore the flavors and highlight the dialogue between the dish and the particular champagne.
Grand Vintage 2015
Textures best suited to Grand Vintage 2015 are frothy and airy, to harmonize with the enveloping, tender and caressing quality of the champagne. The desired objective is the soft, dense consistency of a cotton flower, or a dense yet yielding mousse, like a sabayon. Delicate flavors must not overwhelm the palate. Delicate spices to complement the tenderness of a fish or meat dish, slow-cooked to melt-in-the-mouth, are ideal choices. Vegetables must be cooked lightly to retain their crunchiness.
Grand Vintage Collection 2006
This Grand Vintage Collection calls for generous, buttery textures. Smoky, toasted notes may be combined with a concentrated fruitiness. Moderate sea-derived flavors of white fish or seaweed will work, with a controlled salinity. Fragrant peppers and exotic flavors as condiments are also recommended.
Grand Vintage Collection 1999
This mature Grand Vintage Collection is best suited to a refined cuisine, which includes reduced coating jus, roasted notes, a strictly controlled bitterness, dark spices such as green cardamom or licorice and precise cooking.
ABOUT MOËT & CHANDON
Moët & Chandon was founded in 1743 by Claude Moët and elevated to international renown by his descendant, Jean-Rémy Moët, who dreamt of “sharing the effervescence of Champagne with the world.” From royal court to red carpet, Studio 54 to Grand Slams, Moët & Chandon has been bringing people together around thrilling, extraordinary moments. With the largest, most diverse vineyards in the region, the House offers a universal & versatile portfolio of champagnes for every occasion and palate. Easy to love, each creation in white and rosé – from the iconic Moët Impérial to the refined Grand Vintage Collection, from the refreshing Moët Ice Impérial to the gentle Nectar Impérial – dazzles and delights with a broad spectrum of flavors and aromas to capture the astonishing breadth of its terroir. Through Natura Nostra, Moët & Chandon’s long-term sustainability program, the House works to protect biodiversity in the region and, since 2009, Moët & Chandon also supports philanthropic initiatives through Toast for a Cause. For nearly three centuries,
Moët & Chandon has been the champagne of choice to mark both significant events in history and personal celebrations, enhancing each toast with the spark of effervescence.
