Pre-trip formalities were different for this Moët & Chandon visit, not merely filling in the usual passport details and choosing your favourite seat in business class, but shoe and chest size were also required, few clues being added to what was behind these requests.
Wellies greeted Roger's arrival - but what for?.....
The trip started with a tour at Moët’s cellars on the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay. However, this was no ordinary cellar visit, with chef de cave, Benoît Gouez, appearing as if by magic from a hidden corridor to take us through an extraordinary experience of “disgorging à la volee”, which is the old school art of disgorging champagne by hand, before dosage, in one quick super skilful motion. And, of course, some rather special magnums were opened including a 1962 and 1996.
Benoît Gouez, Moët & Chandon chef de cave (l), opening the 1962 in the cellar.
Tasting notes from the cellar:
Moët & Chandon Imperial magnum NV
A timeless classic that highlights the quality of Moët, with the magnum delivering a perfect pour. Reserve wines add richness, depth and that classy freshness.
Gouez balances tradition with modern innovation. He is known for dialling back the dosage in recent years to allow the natural fruitiness and crisp complexity of the champagne to shine through.
Moët & Chandon Vintage 2015 en magnum
Spiced with ginger, butter and butterscotch, delicate and refined, fresh hints of clementine, redcurrants, thyme all with fresh precision.
Moët & Chandon Vintage 2013 en magnum
The Chardonnay definitely highlights this vintage, fresh stone fruit, lemon zest, apricots and red berries, layered, textured and full of flavour.
Moët & Chandon Vintage 1996 en magnum, disgorged à la volee
Aged musty nose on first sight, then it opens with notes of custard tarts, pine, ginger, truffles, earthy ceps, balanced with a wonderful salinity and crushed oyster shell aromatics, an exceptional wine.
Moët & Chandon Vintage 1962 en magnum, disgorged à la volee
This was incredible, this had a wonderful complexity, the texture balanced to the freshness was quite outstanding, a wine to cherish every sip. Toasted almond, date, honey, citrus freshness, rich but fresh, textured but balanced, glorious.
All change
A change of clothing and we were onto our adventure, dinner at Caveau Napoleon, in a beautiful cellar dressed in a Moët Rose floral theme with elegant lighting. Wines served at dinner included:
Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial en magnum
This was a chance to try Gouez’s Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial with food, and what a fabulous match, John Dory lightly grilled with lemon hollandaise, crispy green asparagus and tarragon tempura. I have had sage tempura many times, but using tarragon is an excellent herb that is enhanced by the tempura. The clean-cut John Dory lifted by the lemon then balanced by the earthy asparagus and fragrant tarragon. All these nuances hinting at the flavours from the Moët Imperial, with both wine and food in harmony.
Moët Brut Imperial Rose en magnum
Served with veal fillet, artichoke stuffed with tapenade, sun-dried tomatoes and thyme reduction, this savoury dish displays how well the Moët Brut Imperial Rose goes with robust full flavoured dishes.
A lively, intense bouquet featuring fresh red summer berries (wild strawberries, raspberries, redcurrant), floral rose notes, and a light, peppery finish. Juicy with nectarines and berries dancing together.
Moët & Chandon Nectar Imperial en magnum
Matched with mango tartare, with peanut crumble and lime sorbet. The Nectar is off-dry and delivers a luscious full flavoured wine with tropical notes, ripe yellow plums, vanilla spice and pineapple. This is often served over ice in Marbella beach bars, where the refreshing fruit-forward notes quench guests' thirst, but it was pretty damn good with this exciting lively dessert.
Day two…..
No such thing as a free lunch Roger
Day two starts with a hands-on approach in the vineyards at the Romont estate, toiling the soil, we were all clad in our measured Moët wellies and jackets although it was somewhat amusing to see a flurry of movement from the convoy of Mercedes limousines with staff and chauffeurs running to our assistance with umbrellas as rain came over! The reason for our visit to Romont was to see for ourselves the intense work that goes into every single bottle of Moët & Chandon.
We were then whisked off to Essentia, the House’s biodiversity site highlighting all the innovations in infrastructure that encourages life back into the soil. Restoration, cover crops management, wildlife all the components that you expect for small bespoke vineyards, but this is on a huge scale.
Then to La résidence de Trianon, within the serene elegance of the Orangerie Moët & Chandon. Built in the early 20th century as a private residence for the Moët family, the mansion sits within a secluded park just beyond the Avenue de Champagne.
Lunch at Trianon, under Moët & Chandon executive chef Jean-Michel Bardet, traced the story of the Grand Vintage collection. This was set in a grand dining room, the food quite exceptional (see below). I have met Bardet, who held a Michelin Star prior to being persuaded to join Moët, a few times now and he clearly has Moët in his blood, providing exceptional matches throughout our stay.
Bardet mentioned that he is inspired by his many conversations with Gouez, which help him to establish such wonderful partnerships between each variance of the Moët & Chandon range of champagnes. His remit is not only to be based at the Moët establishments in Champagne but across the globe with partnerships such as with Emirates, where Moët highlights four wines in Business Class including the Grand Vintage 2016 matched to poached scallops with green melon and roasted almonds.
Roger Jones with Moët & Chandon executive chef, Jean-Michel Bardet,
Lunch at La résidence de Trianon
‘Amberjack with peas and kiwi’ does not do this dish the justice it deserves, it was a beautiful succulent tuna-style fish with tiny peas enhanced with Kiwi Fruit Beurre Blanc, a fabulous dish matched to Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2016, which was clean and crisp with restrained apricot, nectarines, gingerbread and gentle spice – I loved the purity of this wine. Together with the food it went up a notch or two.
Next came an incredible dish ‘Lobster with verbena, artichokes and orange’, a bit of a mouthful to say but exquisite when placed in your mouth. Matched to Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Rose 2016, this had rhubarb, raspberry, pomegranate delivering a luscious wine that had elegance and class – in the glass it evolved with violets, rose buds and wild mountain flowers.
Next up ‘Veal rack with BBQ kiwi fruit and sesame jus’, with Moët & Chandon Grand Collection 2009 and Moët & Chandon Grand Collection 2000. These are the same blends as the originally released Grand vintages but sealed under cork and aged for much longer, both chosen for certain parallels to the 2016 vintage.
The Moët & Chandon Grand Collection 2009 was beautifully balanced with great texture, lemon verbena, ginger, camomile tea, with a lift from delicate notes of pineapple, an exceptional match to the richness of the veal. The Moët & Chandon Grand Collection 2000 was deeper with toasted brioche crumbs, hint of caramel, ripe stone fruit essence, white truffle, dried ceps and oyster shell salinity. Both delivered a classy vintage style that enhanced the veal dish, but each giving a different perspective from each vintage year.
Cuverie Mont Aigu
Cuverie Mont Aigu helps establish how a brand of such immense scale continues to maintain precision, consistency, and prestige.
After lunch, a visit to Cuverie Mont Aigu: a state-of-the-art winery of incredible scale and modern technology, with the ‘robots’ more in view than humans. With 36,000 square metres of green roofs and automated fermentation, designed to improve and increase production, this was the first time that the doors were opened to the press or trade. Although no pictures were allowed inside, we were given access to all parts of the complex. An investment of over £140 million was put into this project that was completed in 2015 but only now is this modern architectural marvel being showcased.
To appreciate the scale here – the fermenting room has a capacity of 150,000 hectolitres, the bottling room can handle 18,000 bottles an hour and the shipping area is capable of handling 20 million bottles a year.
Next stop Château De Saran
Château De Saran is not a hotel but a private residency, built in 1801 as a hunting lodge by Jean-Remy Moët, grandson of Claude Moët, once a retreat then a family residence and now open by invitation only to the wider Moët family. There are just eleven rooms, each with a distinct narrative. Invitation is by invite only, a rare privilege to return a second time.
On arrival your butler ensures your cocktail attire for dinner is ironed. Then magnums of Moët & Chandon were served on the sun terrace, with exquisite canapés made to honour previous visitors such as the late Queen Mother. We were then taken through a secret tunnel to the Vendangeoir, a restored building used as a dining room and private nightclub, as well as various historic salons and a state-of-the-art kitchen, which includes a cookery demonstration area.
Gouez hosted the dinner in a room steeped in classic French architecture, joined by a group of international journalists and senior management from Moët & Chandon.
Dinner started with Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial en magnum, this is standard practice to highlight the quality of this wine, and I must confirm that in magnum this wine delivers a perfect dining companion. Matched with ‘Sea bream origami with seaweed, Oscietra caviar and galangal vichyssoise’. A refined sashimi style dish uplifted with a delicate Thai-infused vichyssoise. The wine with its clean precise freshness lifted the dish.
Next up ‘Surf & Turf with buckwheat’, matched to Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2013 en magnum – bakery notes, with grilled pineapple, mineral notes, tangerine, apricot, cardamom spice, lime and some dried exotic herbs – such purity and freshness cutting well into the richness of the scallop and veal.
Then the star attraction Moët & Chandon Collection Imperial, Creation No1, which was matched to ‘Guinea fowl stuffed with smoked muscat foie gras and kombava juice’.
The base year for the inaugural Creation is 2013, which makes 42.5% of the blend, as do five of the six reserve wines (approximately equal proportions of 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, and 2000), with the remaining 15% coming from a sixth reserve, the 2004, which is aged under crown cap in bottle.
Tasting notes here – beeswax, honey, madeleine biscuits, verbena, citrus curd, crushed almond, ginger, apricot and vanilla – a textured, layered gorgeous wine. It was a delight that they also served this with a cheese course of sheep’s milk from the Ossau Valley with cumin kumquat and chickpeas – an inspiring dish.
The party then retreated upstairs by lift to The Party Room …… and as we say, “what happens on tour stays on tour”!
The 'secret' tunnel to the Party House
In conclusion
Insights into the trip was the importance that the Moët team placed on Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial, especially in magnum, serving it at every opportunity before moving up the Moët ladder.
The visit also highlighted the huge influence and control Benoît Gouez has for making millions of bottles taste consistent globally and in keeping Moët’s position as the world’s most recognisable Champagne.
Hugely important is the care and fundamental work that the team does in the vineyards both on its own and from the numerous growers that supply them to keep the consistency and quality perfect, as well as looking after the environment and their extended family.
With grateful thanks to Benoît Gouez, Moët & Chandon and Spritz Marketing
