Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial X 6

It has been the champagne of success and glamour since 1743. With its perfect balance of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, this champagne has become one of the world’s most-loved. It is characterised by bright fruitiness and elegant maturity. The palate reveals subtle pear, citrus and brioche notes.Moët & Chandon champagnes are through a meticulous process with close attention paid to quality, precision and uniqueness, as well as the diversity that the different ranges offer.

The wines are a blend of three champagne grapes, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay from vineyards in all of the five main areas of Champagne.

The Pinot Noir gives the wine structure and intensity, with notes of berry; Pinot Meunier is for suppleness, roundness and fleshiness; while Chardonnay is the reason for the acidity, elegance, and freshness.

Their vineyards are classified as Grand Cru, a regional classification and designation for vineyards renowned for producing quality grapes. There’s a bit of their nearly 300 years of heritage in every sip from their nearly 2,500 acres / 1,000 hectares of vineyards.

The grapes are collected to make the cuvee, after which the still white wine is blended and left to ferment. During fermentation, yeast and sugar is added. The “tirage”, which is what the champagne is called, is put in a thick walled glass bottle and sealed with a bottle cap. The tirage is placed in a cool cellar (55-60 F) and allowed to slowly ferment, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide.

During the course of fermentation, yeast cells die and after several months, the fermentation is complete. However, the wine continues to age such that it develops a yeasty taste. For the best result, the Champagne is aged for five or more years.

When fermentation is complete, dead yeast cells are then removed through riddling. The Champagne bottle is placed upside down in a holder at a 75 degree angle.The bottle is regularly turned at 1/8th of a turn while keeping it upside down daily.

After disgorging (removal of dead yeast), a mixture of white wine, brandy and sugar is added to adjust the sweetness level of the clear white Champagne.

In a vintage Champagne 100% of the grapes used are from the harvest of the same year. Moet Nectar Rose and Moet Rose Imperial are made by simply adding an amount of red wine to the cuvee.

Moet and Chandon champagnes are renowned for having “a bright fruitiness, a seductive palate and an elegant maturity that are the result of the slow, gradual progression from vine to cellar.”