 
 |
What's your favorite champagne food pairing?
BRUT IMPÉRIAL
The archetypal Moet & Chandon marque. A harmonious blend of all three
grape varietals and reserve wines, Brut Impérial is a subtle, drier-styled champagne.
Color: Pale yellow with shades of green.
Aroma: Delicately vinous with a lime and vine blossom attack.
Palate: Predominantly Pinot characteristics. Very ample on the palate,
discreet finish.
Food Pairing: An apertif wine; accompanies fish dishes, as well.
BRUT IMPÉRIAL 1992
A more complex and rich champagne that expresses particular features of
the 1992 harvest, Brut Impérial Vintage requires longer yeast aging in
the cellars (4-6 years).
Assemblage: 40% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier.
Vintage: After three years of spring frosts, flowering was early, but
perfect, giving way to a vintage of superb maturity.
Color: Medium gold.
Aroma: Dried fruits and toast with warm notes of honey and brioche.
Palate: A clear-cut attack with a round, luscious and subtly spicy
finish. Well-balanced with a distinct fullness.
Food Pairing: Accompanies white meat and fish dishes with sauce.
BRUT ROSE
A versatile marque whose intensity and vibrant color result from the
addition of Pinot Noir red wines from the villages of Mareuil and
Mareuil sur Ay during the assemblage.
Color: Rose with shades of copper, good intensity.
Aroma: Lively, clear, expressive. Dominated by scents of spicy wild
berries.
Palate: Full-bodied and zestful. Assertive fruitiness. Strawberries,
with hints of red currant and nectarine.
Food Pairing: Accompanies main dishes of crayfish, white meat, lamb, as
well as desserts such as wild fruit salad or sorbet.
BRUT IMPÉRIAL ROSE 1992
Its complex taste results from the addition of the rare and prized Pinot
Noir red wines from the village of Bouzy during the assemblage.
Assemblage: 38% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Meunier, 52% Pinot Noir, part of
which has been vinified as red wine.
Vintage: After three years of spring frosts, flowering was early, but
perfect, giving way to a vintage of superb maturity. Pinot Noir grapes
attained outstanding ripeness in 1992.
Color: Salmon pink, with slight coppery highlights.
Aroma: Dominant notes of ripe red fruit, strawberry and black currant,
rounded off by suggestions of toast, apples and pears.
Palate: Solid, full-bodied and supple. The finish is rather firm, clean
and distinct (spices).
Food Pairing: Accompanies shellfish such as lobster or crab, as well as
pink or red-fleshed fish. Excellent also with lamb, chicken or game.
WHITE STAR
This marque represents a variation on the Moet & Chandon style, with a
character all its own. It is balanced and harmonious, with mellow,
well-developed flavors.
Color: Golden yellow with shades of amber.
Aroma: Very delicate with aromas of flowers, hazelnuts and biscuits.
Palate: Soft with a fruity finish evocative of peaches.
Food Pairing: Particularly suitable as an apertif wine, White Star can
be served with cheese-based entrees as well as with oysters or fish.
NECTAR IMPÉRIAL
The outcome of a special assemblage designed to preserve the fresh taste
of champagne while offering a subtle sweetness. Its salient
characteristics are its aromatic concentration of dried fruits and its
particularly smooth, creamy texture.
Color: Deep golden.
Aroma: Well-developed, reminiscent of toasted bread and raisins.
Palate: Round and balanced with a floral finish suggestive of honey and
grilled almonds.
Food Pairings: Excellent with foie gras, pate, blue cheeses, and
desserts based on peaches, dried fruits or mixed nuts. Also excellent
with spicy favorites such as fried calamari, or to enjoy throughout the
evening.
For more champagne 'pop' culture, visit Moët & Chandon.
|
