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World renowned Champagne house Moët & Chandon have taken a step into unchartered territory producing a pioneering blend of Champagne with the cryptic name 'MCIII.' Released this autumn the Champagne house have billed MCIII as the most 'harmonious yet complex champagne expression to date.'
What is it?
In simple terms the Champagne is hybrid creation blending several vintage wines including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from differing years which have matured in stainless steel vats, oak casks, and aged on lees in glass bottles. The wine has ten years of assemblage and aging in the cellar. Go to the website for the full description.
The technique is rarely used in Champagne making it 'one of the few, if not the only, cuvées that blends Grand Cru vintage Champagne into still wines' according to Forbes.
Why the new look and name?
MCIII comes from MC for Moët & Chandon, and the 'III' refers to the three different tiers of wine used in the blend.
Modern packaging is a new departure for the traditional champagne house and one they believe represents the three fermentation mediums used to create the wine. Using a luminous glass black bottle, a metallic cap and a medallion base, the name is hand etched onto the glass and sold in a wooden box.
Tasting notes
Marketing and good looks aside how much bang do you get for your buck?
Moët & Chandon's tasting notes are compelling : "The wine is both full-bodied and delicate, dense and lithe, imposing and elegant. A form of controlled power, evocative of a thoroughbred stallion, progressively releases itself, channelled and guided by the structure of the champagne."
"Fruitiness is expressed in notes of candied citrus fruits, stone fruits, dried figs and dates along with warm spices. The wine evolves towards a precious, mineral finish, with a slightly bitter saltiness that is refreshing and invigorating."
According to Forbes: It’s a cuvée for the intellectual and the hedonist—think about it or enjoy it, your call. "
More info.
A bottle of MCIII costs around 450 euros and can be purchased directly from the Champagne house. Only a few thousand bottles have been released so you'll need to be fast to bag yourself one for christmas.
If you need to know how to open champagne sommelier Rajeev Vaidya at the Daniel restaurant explains all. All you need to know to look like a pro is not to let the cork 'pop'.
