Moët Chandon

In 1743, Claude Moët, a proprietor of vineyards in Vallée de la Marne, founded the Moët winery, the mother company of the world-famous Maison Moët & Chandon. Driven by his ambition and commercial foresight, he and Jean Rémy, his successor at the helm of the company, soon managed to become one of main purveyors of the country's elite, having among their clients historical figures such as Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte. In addition, they bought some venerable vineyards in the

Hautvillers valley, the very same place where Dom Pierre Pérignon had discovered how to make sparkling wine some centuries before.

In 1832, Pierre Chandon de Brialles, a relative of Moët, became partners with him. Thus the Moët & Chandon company got its definitive name. The first vintage was produced a decade later. In 1860, the company released what will later become its best-known product, the “Brut Impérial.”

Nowadays, Moët & Chandon owns around 1,150 hectares of vineyards, 50% Grands Crus and 25% Premiers Crus. The vineyards, planted with the traditional Champagne varieties Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. are scattered across the areas of Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, Vallée de la Marne, Sézanne and Aube.

In the 1950s, Robert Jean de Vogüé, the then president of the Moët & Chandon group, had the idea of producing quality sparkling wines outside of the Champagne region under the name Chandon. In 1959, the project came to fruition with the creation of Chandon Argentina, a branch of the Moët & Chandon group based in the prestigious wine region of Mendoza.

In 1971, Moët & Chandon merged with the Hennessy Cognac brand, creating one of the world's most important luxury firms. It also added the Rozès Port and some young wines from Brazil and California to its product portfolio.

Despite producing close to 30 milion bottles of Champagne per year, the Moët & Chandon winery has succeeded in preserving its reputation as a symbol of French sophistication and joie de vivre. Appointed as “Purveyor to Her Majesty”, Moët & Chandon is Queen Elizabeth II's favourite Champagne.

• Year of foundation: 1743
• Address: Avenue de Champagne 20
• City: Epernay
  
• Province: Champagne
• Zip code: 51200
  
• Country: France
• Phone number: 33 158 97 66 98
  
• www.moet.com
• Guided visits? Yes
• Wine tourism services?  No

Designation of origin:

AOC Champagne

Red wine varieties:

Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier.

White wine varieties:

Chardonnay.