Moët & Chandon

What it is

Moët & Chandon (French: [mɔɛt e ʃɑ̃dɔ̃]), also known simply as Moët, is a French fine winery and part of the luxury goods company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE. Moët et Chandon is one of the world's largest champagne producers and a prominent champagne house. Moët et Chandon was established in 1743 by Claude Moët, and today owns 1,190 hectares (2,900 acres) of vineyards, and annually produces approximately 28,000,000 bottles of champagne. Moët is pronounced with a "t" at the end (IPA: [mɔɛt]; 'mo-et') as the French-born founder's surname is assumed to be of non-French origin—allegedly Dutch-German.

Key facts

What it is

organization, business source

Product

Moët Impérial source

Owned by

LVMH source

Parent company

LVMH source

Founded by

Claude Moët source

Created

1743 source

Country

France source

Located in

Épernay source

Headquarters

Épernay source

In the maker's own words

Founded in 1743, Moët & Chandon celebrates life’s memorable moments with a range of unique champagnes for every occasion. Discover our luxury champagnes’ range, our cellars and our exclusive experiences.

Origin and history

Moët et Chandon began as Moët et Cie (meaning "Moët & Co."), established by Épernay wine trader Claude Moët in 1743, and began shipping his wine from Champagne to Paris. The reign of King Louis XV coincided with increased demand for sparkling wine. Soon after its foundation, and after son Claude-Louis joined Moët et Cie, the winery's clientele included nobles and aristocrats.

How it is made

Around 5 million bottles are produced in each vintage. The wine is 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot noir, with 6 g/L dosage. According to Tom Stevenson, "All vintages need at least 12 years ageing to nurture Dom Pérignon's signature silky mousse".