Marvelous Moet (Moet et Chandon Brut Imperiale)

Member Name: Redpen

Product:	Moet et Chandon Brut Imperiale
Date:	25/05/03 (240 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great quality, Stylish champagne at a reasonable price

Disadvantages: You always wish you?d ordered a Magnum and so on...

I would like to make it clear that I am neither an alcoholic nor a connoisseur, I do however enjoy a good bottle of plonk and one of my many, many weaknesses in life is champagne!

As a regular drinker of Moet and Chandon champagne I find it one of the best around priced at around £30.00 pounds for the Brut Imperial NV variety- it's very well priced and perfect for most occasions, particularly if you going to a party and you don't want to show yourself up but you don't want to bring something too special. If your looking for something a little more special, I would recommend either the Dom Pérignon Vintage Rosé 1993 at around £200 or the Bollinger RD Extra Brut 1990 at around £100.

Moet likens it's champagnes to a fashion collection describing them as 'A label which never goes out of fashion' and as ?A Collection of Art' I don't think many could argue with these statements as it is the official champagne of London Fashion Week.

The Technical bit

I don't really go in for this. I am sure most people are more concerned with getting pissed with a good bottle but here goes!! ...

Champagne only comes from champagne as the saying goes...This is a region in the north of France known as 'le terroir' - it has the perfect growing conditions for the grapes which are used to make champagne. This was one of the main reasons for the case of Bulmer v Bollinger- added to the fact it was cider Bulmer were making and trying to pass it off as champagne!

Three grapes are used to make champagne, pinot noir and pinot meunier, which are both black. The other grape used is a white chardonnay, which adds a light texture to the champagne. These grapes blended create Moet and Chandon?s unique house style.

The champagne is then fermented a second time in the bottle, which gives it a lovely melting, and silky texture.

Storing and after care

I am told the best way to s
tore your bottle is by laying the bottle on it's side in a cool place and importantly maintaining a constant temperature. Kept in this atmosphere depending on type it should last for 1-5 years.

Of course champagne should be served chilled, it's the only way to drink it! Buffs with quote a temperature of between 6-8C. To achieve this simply place the bottle in a champagne ice bucket half filled with ice cubes for about half an hour.

A friend advised me of this after drinking a considerable amount of the stuff!! After chilling, the bottle needs to be twisted (I can hear you laughing, I am serious!)- Dry and tilt the bottle, remove all wrapping and wire, place thumb on the cork and twist- the cork should ease out without so much as a pop.

Pouring

This is turning into an etiquette lesson now! - Wipe the bottle dry and pour carefully into crystal champagne flutes. Keep pouring until around 2/3 full. A standard bottle should fill around 6 flutes.

Taste

I always find champagne hard to describe in terms of words. It's a pale gold in colour with lots of small bubbles. It smells like a good wine delicately mixed with lime, the is taste well balanced, and generally an all round delicious bottle of champagne

The 'Collection' as it's known ranges from half bottles of Moet and Chandon to the Nebuchadnezzar, which is a massive 20 bottle and would fill 120 flutes- although you?d need help pouring them and drinking them I suspect!!
Other sizes in the Collection are:
Magnum (2 standard bottles)- I would call this the optimum size!!
Jeroboams (4 bottles)
Methuselahs (8 bottles)
Salmanazars (12 bottles)
Balthazars (16 bottles) and magnificent Nebuchagnezzar (at 20 bottles)- this one costs around £750.00.

I have found that the best place to drink Moet and Chandon is aboard Concorde- whether it's the altitude or knowing you have to drink more because you arri
ve before you take off! Or then again it could be the fact that everything is served on Royal Doulton table wear, gleaming silverware and only the finest crystal. ( I am one of those who looks!)

I think that the only thing left to say is enjoy! Wonderful champagne in wonderful surroundings with fab company.... always a perfect end to the day!!

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