With a presentation box featuring the son (2016 vintage), the father (2009 vintage), and the grandfather (2000 vintage) of the House, Moët & Chandon showcases its evolution over the years.
For this set, it has chosen three wines born from turbulent climatic conditions, which have been tamed to remarkably reveal the essence of the House and its adaptability. These wines are highlighted through a beautifully orchestrated meal and a balanced culinary interpretation, where excellence emerges from turbulence.
First is the Grand Vintage 2016. This vintage was marked by a tumultuous beginning to the year, characterized by rain and spring frosts, followed by a beautiful late season and ideal water stress. Composed of 48% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir, and 18% Pinot Meunier, this extra brut, dosed at 6g/liter and matured for 7 years, offers a beautiful maturity. Its nose exhibits empyreumatic notes, pastries, hazelnut, accompanied by pleasant fruitiness, a hint of toast, smoke, and cream. The palate is harmonious and very balanced, with beautiful amplitude. It showcases high acidity with freshness, plum, mirabelle, quince, orange blossom, and anise. A harmonious and tangy champagne, perfectly paired with a Saint-Pierre dish featuring zucchini and nectarine.
The 2016 vintage is also available as Grand Vintage Rosé, composed of 43% Pinot Noir (including 13% red wine), 42% Chardonnay, and 15% Pinot Meunier, with an extra brut dosage of 5g/liter. This cuvée reveals a nose of red and black fruits, crushed strawberry, fig, iris flower, violet, and Damask rose. Then come enticing notes of gingerbread and chocolate. The palate is soft and juicy, with beautiful complexity, freshness, and maturity. An elegant and precise gastronomic rosé champagne with a slightly tangy finish. Its aromatic bouquet is beautifully paired with Carabinero prawns and their jus, accompanied by Champagne lentils and Valencia orange.
The Grand Vintage Collection 2009, with 15 years of maturation, consists of 50% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay, and 14% Pinot Meunier, dosed at 5g/liter, is the result of a year where winter was very harsh, followed by a warm spring and summer. It reveals smoky, toasted, and grilled notes with hints of vanilla, chocolate, mocha, and wood. The palate showcases indulgent fruit flavors such as caramelized pineapple, apricot tart, chestnut honey, and frangipane. There are notes of garrigue, resin, and nutmeg. The rich palate has a tangy and peppery finish, perfectly paired with a land and sea dish where a yolk cooked for 1 hour at 64°C meets a squid broth and a piece of matured ham with figatelli oil. A hint of umami from shiitake and Paris mushrooms complements the wine's woody notes.
Finally, the Grand Vintage Collection 2000, with 24 years of maturation, comprises 50% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir, and 16% Pinot Meunier, dosed at 7g/liter. This vintage reveals itself as straightforward, never dominating, akin to a year that was particularly challenging for Champagne vintners, alternating between cold and rainy periods, followed by hot and stormy phases, lasting until the last days of August. The wine displays a beautiful nervousness and opulence, with creamy aromas, empyreumatic notes, butter, brioche, roasted dried fruits, candied citrus, and spices such as star anise and white pepper. The round palate, fresh with a creamy character, pairs ideally with pork belly, artichoke, sesame, and burnt kiwi condiment proposed by the chef.
These pairings demonstrate that beneath turbulence, great delicacy can emerge.
Sandy Bénard-Ravoisier
Photos : Jean-Marc Flé
A Chigny-les-Roses, village de la montagne de Reims, Arnaud et Sophie Gounel
