Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2012

Aroma: A fresh bouquet: the first hints of fresh white flowers evolve toward notes of pastry, sweet and blonde, punctuated with nuances of fresh walnut, hazelnut and rusk. In accompaniment are notes of crisp, just-ripe fruits, with aromas of pear, white peach and nectarine.

Taste: Harmonious: The attack is soft, supple and fluid. The palate then develops texture, with a softness like cashmere or felt. This initial softness gradually reveals a purity, the crisp structure lengthens, lingering, to offer an iodized, tangy finish, underscored by a mouthwatering hint of grapefruit.

Seafood and fish; roast chicken with slow-roasted tomatoes and cheesy grits; pork braised in Champagne vinegar; creamy risotto; quail; duck.

Epernay, Champagne France. The 1,190 hectares of rich limestone soil, 50% of which is classed as Grand Cru and 25% Premier Cru, make up the largest vineyard area in Champagne. Underground, the Moët & Chandon cellars are the most extensive in the region. Extending more than 28 kilometres, they form a subterranean labyrinth where the wine metamorphoses under optimum conditions of humidity and temperature.