Tasting Notes
Vinous 90
(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.
Wine Advocate 88
Based on the challenging 2017 vintage, the current release of MoA t & Chandon’s NV Brut Imperial was disgorged with seven grams dosage (representing a reduction of around 50% in the last 20 years) and contains an unusually high proportion of reserve wines. Offering up aromas of pear, peach and citrus oil mingled with hints of fresh bread and white flowers, it’s medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy, with racy acids and an enveloping core of fruit, complemented by a pinpoint mousse and concluding with a nicely defined finish. Impressively seamless, it’s a fine rendition of one of Champagne’s largest bottlings.
Anticipated maturity: 2020-2028
