May 21, 2018 | Food & Drink
“I love to celebrate,” says Benoît Gouez, chef de cave at Moët & Chandon. “To make every moment in life as good as it can be.” And guess what? He is not the only one in the champagne business who feels that way. While we too do not require an occasion to open some bubbly, if you happen to have a special day on the horizon, here are three commemorative bottlings that will do honor to any soiree.
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The new MCIII shows off the winemakers’ arts—and comes in a beautiful package to boot. Roughly 40 percent of the blend comes from 2003 chardonnay and pinot noir aged in steel; another 40 percent is a mix of previous Grand Vintage blends, partially aged in oak; the balance of the bottle is drawn from 1993, 1998 and 1999 vintages, aged in bottle. The result is an intense wine, starting with malt and pastry notes on the nose followed by powerful lemon and bergamot flavors and a lingering salinity. Just stunning. $280
This remarkable blend, put together around harvest time in 2009, is a classic Krug, with flavors of hazelnut, citrus fruit and honey. An annual bottling, this 165th edition is composed of nearly 120 wines from 10 or more different vintages and three grape varietals—and the result is a deep golden beauty. $180
Widowed at age 27, Barbe Nicole Ponsardin (later called Madame Clicquot) is said to have invented the first blended rosé (meaning she thought to add some red wine to her sparkling white). Bless her. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the veuve’s innovation, and to note the occasion, the house has released this balanced pink, rich with dried fruits on the nose and an intriguing almond note on the palate. $60
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