Moët & Chandon

Grand Vintage 2016 | Magnum 150cl

Description

Description & elaboration

The Grand Vintage 2016 cuvée from Moët & Chandon is an Extra Brut champagne marking the seventy-seventh vintage crafted by this House, founded in Épernay in 1743. It is a champagne of toasted cereal notes — mirabelle plum — and marzipan, carried by a mineral tension characteristic of this late harvest. On the palate, the texture is fluid and mouth-watering, with a fresh, lightly saline finish. A rare edition, shaped by cellar master Benoît Gouez from a rigorous selection of the year's finest plots.

The Terroir

The Champagne vineyards used for this cuvée rest on chalky subsoils formed during the Campanian era. The belemnite chalk acts as a natural water regulator, retaining winter rainfall and releasing it by capillary action to the roots during summer. The grapes are sourced from a selection of Grands Crus and Premiers Crus, including Chouilly, Cramant and Aÿ.

The hillside vineyards benefit from a south and south-east exposure with an average slope of 15%, promoting better grape ripeness. The vine roots reach deep into the limestone through geological faults, imprinting the wine with its characteristic mineral signature.

The structure contributed by the black grape varieties recalls that of a Blanc de Pinots Noirs. Champagne Chardonnay brings tension and freshness to the blend, while Pinot Meunier rounds out its aromatic framework.

Vinification

The hand-harvested grapes are pressed in fractions to isolate the main cuvée. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in thermoregulated stainless steel tanks at 18 °C, preserving the aromatic finesse of the juice.

Malolactic fermentation is carried out systematically, softening the natural acidity of the harvest. Ageing on the lees lasts approximately eighty-four months: this extended cellar time develops the characteristic notes of brioche, toasted bread and marzipan that define this cuvée.

The 2016 vintage

The growing cycle began with a mild winter, followed by a spring marked by late frost episodes in April. May and June recorded rainfall well above the ten-year averages, generating significant disease pressure on the foliage. Local growers adapted their vineyard practices to protect flowering.

The weather shifted in mid-July towards a prolonged summer drought. Temperatures reached heatwave levels in August, temporarily slowing the véraison of the bunches. Early September showers relaunched ripening at the last moment, bringing richness and concentration to the berries.

Harvest began on 15 September under dry atmospheric conditions. The extracted juices revealed a remarkable balance between sugar concentration and preserved acidity.

Tasting notes

• Appearance

  The colour is a pale yellow with brilliant silver highlights. Fine bubbles rise in regular columns from the base of the glass, forming a continuous ring along the side.

• Nose

  The nose opens with delicate toasted cereal aromas. The bouquet then unfolds notes of mirabelle plum, marzipan and almond paste, a reflection of eighty-four months of lees ageing. With aeration, a delicate hint of orange blossom emerges in the background.

• Palate

  The attack is fruity and wonderfully fluid. The wine coats the palate with great delicacy, without any heaviness. The finish lingers with the zesty freshness of white pomelo, punctuated by a persistent saline note.

Food pairing suggestions

Aperitif bites

• Aged comté gougères
• Toasted hazelnuts
• Smoked salmon blinis

Main courses

• Seared scallops
• Braised veal sweetbreads
• Roasted sea bass with fennel

Cheese and Desserts

• 18-month aged Comté
• Mirabelle plum tart
• Farmhouse Chaource

The benefits of the 75cl bottle

The 75 centilitre bottle is the standard format for AOC Champagne. This volume allows for six flutes filled to twelve centilitres. The cylindrical natural cork stopper ensures a perfect seal while allowing very slight gas exchange, which is favourable to the wine's slow evolution.

This format allows for rapid chilling in an ice bucket and fits easily into the racks of a home wine cellar.

The Plus de Bulles expert's opinion

The decision to bottle this harvest as a vintage champagne reflects the House's rigorous analysis of the musts by its tasting committee. The absence of reserve wines means the cuvée must find its balance solely within the 2016 harvest — something made possible by the extended eighty-four months of lees ageing. The Extra Brut profile allows the purity of the selected terroirs to express itself fully.

Advice

How to store this champagne?

Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75 cl) in reinforced packaging specially designed for champagne transport. Upon receipt, we recommend storing the bottle on its side, away from light — ideally in a cellar, or at least in a cool, not too dry place with a relatively stable temperature.

Ageing potential

The Grand Vintage 2016 from Moët & Chandon offers excellent ageing potential, with a cellaring window of approximately ten to twelve years from the date of purchase.

• Until 2026: freshness dominates, with clean aromas of white fruits and citrus.
• From 2027: time brings indulgent notes of toasted brioche and candied fruits.
• Around 2035: the years reveal roasted, spicy and undergrowth accents.

Serving recommendations

Chill by immersion in ice water for thirty minutes. A tulip-shaped glass concentrates the aromas thanks to its tapered rim. Pouring in two stages limits foam overflow during service.

The low-dosage profile of this cuvée is best served between 10 and 11 °C: a slightly lower temperature would mask the toasted bread notes developed by the long lees ageing.

A story behind this cuvée

The blending team describes this edition as the reflection of a restorative autumn following a chaotic climatic journey. The documentation of this viticultural adaptation is regularly monitored by the Union des Maisons de Champagne. This vintage offers a valuable insight into the climatic variations between decades.

You can then compare this cuvée with the great vintage from the Moët house of the previous year. The Chardonnay backbone of this blend also evokes the architecture of a prestigious white vintage cuvée.