Since 1743, Moët & Chandon has consistently been creating excellent champagnes born from a rich heritage of craft passed down generations. There are, however, certain years when the Cellar Master is so inspired, he allows himself to be more vulnerable to nature’s whimsy. This beautiful exception is a champagne first born in 1842, just before the House’s centennial celebration.
On these days, the Cellar Master takes a risk, affording himself carte blanche – the liberty to interpret and craft the story of the year. Thus, each Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage is something so unique the world will only see it once. Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage is the Cellar Master’s creation, charged with inspirations from the year.
2013 By Moët & Chandon: Autumnal – Chiselled – Energetic
It’s the magic of the year 2013. A year of waiting, a year of anticipation. It began with unprecedented cold and wet weather in winter, followed by a cool spring. This lack of warmth would delay the entire growth cycle, ultimately resulting in the latest bud growth since 1996. Summer was warmer than usual, giving the vines the sun they needed to develop, but the beautiful weather was not enough to advance the ripening of the fruit.
The conditions proved idyllic for extraordinary Chardonnays, but less certain for Pinot Noir. Thus, the House made a sacrifice: in choosing to give the most promising Pinot Noirs the extra time they needed to ripen, others were unavoidably lost. By the time the grapes reached maturity, it was already October, Moët & Chandon’s latest harvest since 1991. The wines of 2013 were thus defined by the autumn, as it was a season of transition that brought magic into the vineyards.
Speaking about Grand Vintage 2013, Cellar Master Benoit Gouez commented: “Creating a blend for a Grand Vintage at Moët & Chandon is like working with a film negative. You can see the shapes and contours, you can be confident in the end result, but you do not know exactly how it will look until you develop the photo.”
He continued “In 2013 I noticed certain wines of this late, autumn harvest stood out for their energy, with great balance of maturity in sugar and residual freshness. These were the flavours I wanted to translate into the final blend – an autumnal, energetic and chiselled wine. I like to say that when I taste Grand Vintage 2013, I am tasting autumn.”
Grand Vintage 2013 Tasting Notes
Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2013 is a champagne marked by a late harvest. The season is in its flavours and aromas, a maturity expressed through autumnal notes and reflected in its golden hues and persistent bubbles.
- Light yellow golden colour with persistent bubbles
- The champagne’s maturity is immediately apparent, with autumnal notes of roasted chestnuts, toasted buckwheat, rich nuts, honey and nougat. White fruit is then revealed, reminiscent of a mealy apple or a beautifully ripe pair. Aromas of iodine, dried flowers and pine sap complete the bouquet.
- The palate is direct and energetic, supported by lively yet delicate acidity, and a finely chiseled structure, enveloped by a refined, grainy texture. The wine finishes with a pleasant hint of white grapefruit bitterness.
- Blend: 41% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir, 21% Meunier
Food Pairing Inspiration
A pairing with Grand Vintage 2013 begins with the choice of the main element – meat, fish, vegetables etc – which provides substance in terms of texture and juiciness. The secondary ingredient should have warm, toasted notes to echo the champagne’s soft, inviting style. Also introduce a hint of bitterness to bring out the notes of grapefruit on the finish. Food pairing inspirations include roasted scallops with buckwheat blinis and lemon coulis; or eggplant hull with Lebanese spices; or veal chop with sea almond and Beldis lemon juice. To find out more, visit Moët & Chandon’s Wine & Food Guide at Moët.com.
Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2013 (RRP €80.20) and Grand Vintage 2013 Roseì (RRP €88.50) are available from independent off licenses including O’Briens, Molloy’s, Next Door, Joyce’s, World Wide Wines & The Wine Centre and nationwide in Brown Thomas, Dunnes Stores, Tesco, and SuperValu.
