Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial

This minerally Champagne is clean-cut and spicy. A fine aperitif, with a lacy texture, lightly juicy acidity and well-knit flavors of poached pear, pickled ginger, currant and lemon curd. Creamy finish. Drink now through 2021.

Nicely complex aromas here, from dried apples, peaches and pears to candied citrus and brioche. It’s fruity, soft and rounded on the palate. Medium-bodied, lightly honeyed and balanced. Blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay. Around 7g/L dosage. Tasted from magnum. Drink now.

(roughly 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier and 15% Chardonnay; 9 g/l dosage; LAIBG): Light, bright yellow. Musky pear and toasty lees on the nose and in the mouth. Fleshy and open-knit, with a hint of bitter lemon pith adding back-end cut. Finishes on a gently smoky note, with very good cling and focus and a hint of bitter quinine. This must be the best example of this bottling that I've had in years, if not decades. In the past the Imperial Brut received a dosage of 12 g/l, but no more; in fact, there's talk that in the near future it may be dropped down as far as 7 g/l.

Tasted from magnum, the NV Champagne Imperial Brut is based on the 2018 vintage and displays a rich straw/golden color, while the nose is ripe with aromas of baked apples, graham spice, toast, and dusty earth. Medium-bodied, the palate is generous and fruity, with an approachable feel. Very consistent on the palate, it’s like a fresh baked apple pie all the way through. Suitable for a wide range of occasions, it will be best enjoyed over the next few years. 7 grams per liter dosage.