Moët & Chandon has unveiled its Grand Vintage 2013, the champagne house’s 75th vintage made from grapes harvested in the autumn of 2013.
Every Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage tells the singular story of a specific year. The original blend is created from a selection of that year’s most remarkable wines. It reflects the Cellar Master’s assessment of the personality and potential of each grape variety.
The Grand Vintage 2013 has autumnal aromas, an energetic balance and a chiselled structure.
Late, wet harvest
Rain and cold weather delayed the 2013 growth cycle and hailstorms late in the summer destroyed about 600 hectares of vines. Moët harvested this vintage late. Picking began on September 28 and ended on October 15.
The two previous Moët vintages were characterised by early harvesting, so expect the 2013 vintage to have a completely different taste.
The levels of sugar and acidity in this vintage exceeded expectations. The sugar content (9.9% was identical to the average for the last 25 harvests. The chardonnay (10.4%) was riper than the Meunier (9.6%) and the Pinot (9.7%).
At the end of the fermentation, Moët says the comments on the chardonnay were “full of praise”. They describe the Pinot Noir as “complex with a little less power and substance than usual”. The Meunier presented more variation.
As a result, the 2013 Moët Vintage is 41% chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir and 21% Meunier.
Moët & Chandon vintage 2013 tasting notes
The 2013 Moët & Chandon vintage has a light golden yellow colour with fine 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 pear. Aromas of done, dried flowers and pine sap complete the bouquet.
The palace is direct and energetic, supported by lively yet delicate acidity and a finely chiselled structure, enveloped by a refined grainy texture. The wine finishes with a pleasant hint of white grapefruit bitterness.
Food and wine pairing
The Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2013 is best paired with meat, fish or vegetables that provide substance in terms of texture and juiciness.
The dish should have ingredients with warm toasted notes to echo this champagne’s soft style. Any dish with a hint of bitterness will bring out the tasting notes of the grapefruit on the finish.
Rose Vintage
Due to popular demand, Moët & Chandon have once again produced a rose vintage champagne.
Again characterised by a late harvest, this vintage is generous, spicy and chiselled. The Rose Vintage is 44% Pinot Noir, of which 14% was red wine, 35% Chardonnay and 21% Meunier.
It is a bright pink colour with autumnal hints of orange. The initial notes of the bouquet are sweet, tinged with a fruit salad of wild strawberries, raspberries and pomegranate seeds. It then develops a touch of acidity with blood oranges and star fruit. This Moët rose also has scents of spices such as black pepper, dark chocolate and cinnamon. Dried flowers and fresh leather complete the bouquet.
On the palate, the fleshy attack confirms the wine’s voluptuous character. The chiselled structure of the Pinot Noir is accompanied by a sensation of crisp plums and cherries. The texture is finely powdered and a delicate stringency underscores the long finish which ends with the taste of grapefruit and lime zest.
This article was produced with content supplied by Moët & Chandon and is a Signature Luxury Travel & Style digital exclusive. Be the first to see more exclusive online content by subscribing to the enewsletter.
