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Moët vintage to get disgorgement date
Moët is to put disgorgement dates on its 2004 Grand Vintage white and rosé, which will be launched in September this year.
This will be the first time the house has printed this information on its Grand Vintage, although it has included disgorgement dates on labels of its Grand Vintage Collection, the late-release but recently-disgorged Moët vintages from its library stock.
Stanislas Rocoffort de Vinniere, international wine communication manager for Moët & Chandon, said that it was consumer demand which had encouraged the world’s largest Champagne house to add this information to its Grand Vintage.
“Some connoisseurs like to know when the Champagne was disgorged because of the different ageing process before and after disgorgement,” he said, stressing the protective effect of ageing on lees compared to the gradual oxidation that takes place once the dead yeast cells have been removed.
The Grand Vintage 2004 white was disgorged in September last year, and the rosé in mid-February this year, meaning both Champagnes will have spent over six months ageing post-disgorgement when they are released in September.
According to Rocoffort de Vinniere, during the one and a half years the 2004 will be on the market, there may be up to three different disgorgements, depending on the demand.
As for whether Moët might extend this practice to its non-vintage Champagnes, he said that it although it had not yet been discussed, it could not be ruled out.
“It could happen one day, but the vintage Champagne consumer is different [from NV], they like to know the blend, the dosage, and the disgorgement date.”
He also said that the 2004 Grand Vintage would mark Moët’s first use of the Diam Mytik agglomerated cork stopper, following extensive trials.
The closure is treated with supercritical carbon dioxide to remove any trace of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA).
The Grand Vintage label was unveiled in late 2007 with the 2000 vintage. This was the first vintage Champagne made by cellar master Benoît Gouez and was launched with in combination with the Grand Vintage Collection.
Moët is currently selling the 2002 vintage, which, as previously reported by db, was released in October 2010, after the more forward 2003.
The 2004 Grand Vintage will be launched with the 1993 Grand Vintage Collection.