Moët & Chandon – Between Mass Production and Prestige Champagnes
Summary
Moët & Chandon is considered the world’s largest and most famous champagne house. Founded in 1743 in Épernay, it stands for the skillful combination of industrial mass production with a luxurious brand image. To maintain this image, the house produces not only mass-market products but also high-quality champagnes.
Cuvées for Connoisseurs
In addition to mass-market products, the house also produces champagnes aimed at connoisseurs.
The vintage champagne Grand Vintage is produced in numerous vintages. The best vintages such as 2002 or 2008 are remarkably good. With cellar aging, the vintage champagne often develops aromatically in a similar way to Dom Pérignon, without reaching its complexity and intensity.
You can find Dom Pérignon here as a separate category:
→ Dom Pérignon at Alfavin – lots of information & vintages
Vineyards and Grape Varieties
With around 1,150 hectares of vineyards, Moët & Chandon is the largest vineyard owner in Champagne. The plots are spread across approximately 200 villages, covering all five main growing regions: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, and Aube. About 50% of the sites are classified as Grand Cru, 25% as Premier Cru.
Cellar Technique and Production
Already in the 1970s, Moët & Chandon switched to temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to ensure more precise control over fermentation. Since the 1990s, malolactic fermentation has also been fully carried out for Dom Pérignon. The famous chalk cellars in Épernay cover around 28 kilometers and are therefore the largest cellar facility in Champagne. Up to 200 million bottles are stored here under constant conditions.
History and Development
The history of Moët & Chandon begins in 1742, when Claude Moët started exporting wines from Champagne to Paris. His grandson Jean-Rémy Moët played a decisive role in the rise of the house. In 1833 Pierre-Gabriel Chandon de Briailles joined the company. In the 20th century, the company merged with Louis Vuitton and Hennessy to form the luxury group LVMH.
