Moët & Chandon

Moët & Chandon is the most famous champagne in the world.

Champagne is the most northern and coldest of the French wine regions, situated in the Marne Valley around the cities of Reims and Épernay.

The name Champagne is derived from the Latin term campania, meaning open country, countryside. During the Roman rule, this area was mainly used for mining chalk. These quarries left behind vast underground caves that have a constant temperature and humidity all year round – an ideal place for ageing quality champagne.

Claude Moët, who is of Dutch origin, founded his own vineyard near Épernay in the early 18th century. Disappointed in resellers, he decided to become a wine merchant in 1716, primarily serving aristocrats. Claude Moët was an excellent salesman who knew how important it was to establish personal relationships with clients. Soon after, his office became popular among merchants.

In 1728, King Louis XV of France issued a decree allowing only wines from Champagne to be transported in bottles. Thanks to that change, royal courts started to order sparkling wine from Champagne, making champagne houses famous. In 1743, Moët switched to only the production of sparkling wine. Their champagne was exported to England, Germany, Spain, and Russia. One of his most prominent and loyal customers was Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV of France.

It was Jean-Remy Moët, grandson of founder Claude Moët, who really made the company successful. He expanded the vineyards and also bought the vineyards of the Hautvillers abbey – the place where the Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon revolutionised many winemaking techniques. The story goes that when Dom Pérignon first discovered the art of making bubbles and created champagne, he called out: “Come quickly! I am drinking the stars!”

As the first successful manufacturer in France, Moët also sold his champagne to the military school in Brienne-le-Château where a young Napoleon Bonaparte was also studying at the time. In 1802, Jean-Rémy Moët was elected the mayor of Épernay and two years later his good old friend Napoleon became the Emperor of the French.

The iconic Moët Impérial was created to pay tribute to the relationship established with Napoléon Bonaparte and Jean-Remy Moët. In 1807, Emperor Napoleon visited the winery for the first time and from that moment on remained a client and supporter of Moët & Chandon. Other prominent clients of the winery in early 19th century include Tsar Alexander I, Austrian Emperor Francis II, the Duke of Wellington, Madame de Staël, and Queen Victoria.

In 1832, Jean-Rémy’s son Victor Moët and son-in-law Pierre-Gabriel Chandon de Briailles took over the business and the company was renamed to include the names of both partners: Moët et Chandon. In 1971 they merged with Hennessy Cognac, and, in 1987, with Louis Vuitton, to become Louis-Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy (LVMH), the largest luxury group in the world.

Moët & Chandon is the world’s largest, bestselling and most famous champagne producer and owns over 400 hectares of vineyards and more than 28 kilometres of underground cellars which can store around 100 million bottles.

Preferred drink of the royals

Moët & Chandon has been the drink of royal courts since early 19th century.

The drink of the elite.

To this day, they hold a Royal Warrant as supplier of champagne to the British Royal Court, moreover, their products are offered in the world’s finest clubs and most luxurious hotels.

Moët & Chandon – an expression of iconic and classic champagne

Moët & Chandon reflects the heart of the Champagne region, it is an exceptional product of its terroir. Moët & Chandon champagne is distinguished by its bright fruity notes, its tasty palate and its elegant maturity.