Moet&ChandonGrandVintageExtra-Brut2016

Moët & Chandon are the most famous producers in Champagne. First founded in 1743 by Claude Moët, it was the marketing acumen of Rémy Moët which initiated the brand’s international fame and mass volume production. Since then, Moët & Chandon have grown by acquiring other champagne estates, selling them forward and keeping their prestigious vineyards. Such large-scale production could only operate under the leadership of a truly superb Chef de Caves and in Benoît Gouez, Moët have one of the best. With a ten-man oenologist team led by chief Dom Pérignon winemaker Vincent Chaperon, Benoît has access to the most academic minds and palates in the region, no doubt a huge driving factor behind his success. Now proprietors to the largest amount of land: some 1,190-hecatres of rich limestone soil, and the largest extent of cellars: over twenty eight kilometres.rrEvery Grand Vintage is unique and original, the Cellar Master’s interpretation of the singular year that is produced. The Möet & Chandon Grand Vintage spirit is founded on three essential values: Freedom of interpretation, selection of the year’s most remarkable wines and individuality of the vintage. The 77th vintage since the House was founded in 1743.rrWeather: The 2016 vintage was not without its challenges. There was frost in late spring and very low temperatures in the vineyards, followed by a wet May, June and July, which increased the threat of disease. Thankfully August was warm and dry, which saved the crop, and harvest began on schedule in September. Fruit-forward, lush wines with vibrant acidity.rrTechnical Information:rVineyards: Predominantly Grand & Premier CrusrGrape Varieties: 34% Pinot Noir, 48% Chardonnay & 18% MeunierrDisgorged: December 2023rLees Ageing: 7 yearsrDosage: 5 g/lrCork: Mytik Diam Technological rDrink: Now to 2035+rrTasting Note: Initial fleeting aromas are brown and dry: toasted bread, grains and hazelnut. The secondary aromas are softer: gingerbread, marzipan, barley sugar. Finally, the most persistent background notes are fruity and floral: plum, mirabelle, quince, orange blossom and aniseed. Sensations enfold effortlessly, akin to a fading scene in a movie or a gentle wave rolling over smooth sand before softly retreating. The initial round, supple attack effortlessly transitions into a structured core-like sensation, culminating in a finish reminiscent of the sweet, tangy freshness of a clementine or pomelo.