The Magic of Moet and Chandon Champagne

Love Champagne? Isn’t it simply a beautiful celebration drink or perfect gift for birthdays, weddings or for any day? Yeah, I’m fine with making any excuse just to pop one.

Oh yes, let's keep the ball rolling for Christmas gifts and themes! This time, I'm talking about a type and brand of wine that almost everybody knows about…Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne! There's just something about those beautiful, sparkling bubbles of Champagne paired with the name Moet & Chandon that catch people's attention. 

But before I get crazy about the label, let me share some wine bits about Champagne. Since I started working for a wine brand, I learned about wine facts and myths that I think some people might not be clear about. For example, did you know that not all sparkling wines are called champagne? 

Some people tend to call all ‘bubblies’ or sparkling wines as Champagne, even though it is technically not Champagne. But if you want to be correct and more knowledgeable about wine, remember this: A sparkling wine can only be called Champagne if it came from the region of Champagne in France. Furthermore, only those that strictly followed a controlled process for Champagne can label their sparkling wine as “Champagne”.

Well, we are already in the year-end festive season and I’m sure that a lot of homes will soon be popping corks for celebrations and will be pouring Champagne in their crystal flute glasses. And I won’t be surprised if Moet and Chandon comes as the top choice for the season.

It is undoubtedly one of the most recognized Champagne or wine labels in the world.  The bottle label design is undeniably classic and stylish. I guess this is why it also serves as a beautiful gift for every occasion. You don’t even have to wrap or decorate it with anything. Just a simple gift card on it will do because the bottle itself is already beautiful. The gold top foil gives the premium feel and elegance to this bottle.

Branding and marketing of this brand is amazing, too. If you’re into wine, you’ll find that it’s almost impossible not to be captured by delicious images everywhere.

I believe you’ve also seen sexy female actress, Scarlett Johansson, as ambassador of Moet and Chandon before…

And tennis superstar and hunk, Roger Federer…

Watch Roger Federer’s ad campaign in the making here:

I have to give Moet and Chandon a big toast for their amazing campaign. Can’t help but fall in love with it even more. And so I just bought a bottle recently via www.winetalk.com.my for an upcoming celebration. Excited to pop it soon!

What this Champagne bottle says:

Vibrant, generous and alluring, Moet Imperial harmoniously combines the three Champagne grape varietals: the body of Pinot Noir, the suppleness of Pinot Meunier and the finesse of Chardonnay. Created from more than 100 different wines, the Moet Imperial style is distinguished by a bright fruitiness with notes of green apple and white flowers. The wine’s enticing palate, redolent of white-fleshed fruits and citrus, is enhanced by fine bubbles and its elegant maturity is revealed in notes of brioche and wheat.  

SERVE Chilled.

Contains 12% alcohol

Know more about Champagne via www.wine.com

Champagne is both a region and a method. The wines come from the northernmost vineyards in France and the name conjures an image like no other can. An 18th Century Benedictine monk named Dom Perignon is said to be the first to blend both varietals and vintages, making good wines not only great, but also special and unique to their winemaker. Today, nearly 75% of Champagne produced is non-vintage and made up by a blend of several years' harvests.

All Champagnes must be made by a strictly controlled process called "Méthode Champenoise." The grapes are pressed and fermented for the first time. The blending phase follows and the wine is bottled and temporarily capped. Then comes the second fermentation, a blend of sugar and yeast is added and, this time, the carbon dioxide is kept inside the bottle. This process leaves a great deal of sediment that is extracted through a process of "racking" or "riddling." The bottles are progressively turned upside down until all the sediment is collected in the neck. The necks are then frozen and the sediment is "disgorged." After this phase, the winemaker may decide to add sugar to sweeten the wine. Finally the wine is corked. Some wines move through this process in a couple of months, while others are aged after the riddling phase to build greater complexity and depth.

Champagnes range from dry, "Brut," to slightly sweet, "Demi-Sec." Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes are used in Champagne blends, but "Blancs de Noirs" is made entirely of Pinot Noir and "Blancs de Blanc" is made from only Chardonnay grapes. The high acidity achieved by the northern location is crucial to the balance and structure of these wines.

Other sparkling wines that I love:

VillaConchi Cava from Spain, Voga Italia Moscato from Italy, and if I can afford to buy an Ace of Spades...