Born from a desire to capture the diverse qualities of three distinct wine-ageing environments in a single harmoniously complex champagne, MCIII is a state-of-the-art creation. Led by Cellar Master Benoît Gouez, Moët & Chandon winemakers created an assemblage never before seen in the maison’s history. Fifteen years of testing and tasting resulted in a champagne that combines the compelling fruitiness of the best 2003 chardonnay and pinot noir still wines with the captivating palate of Grand Vintage still wines from 1998, 2000 and 2002. A backbone of eminent maturity infused by 1993, 1998 and 1999 Grand Vintage champagnes completes the blend.

The three distinct ageing environments involved in each layer of MCIII – metal, wood and glass – are vital to the champagne’s success. Drawing from Moët & Chandon’s extensive reserves, stored in the 30 miles of caves beneath the maison, winemakers blended still wines aged in stainless steel vats, bringing richness, with oak-aged Grand Vintage wines, providing elegance, and Grand Vintage champagnes ageing in glass bottles, allowing for an incredible freshness.

The name MCIII is a celebration of Moët & Chandon’s three-tiered approach to the creative process. The first and only cuvée of this innovation to be released thus far is MCIII 001.14. The 001 references the fact that it is the first MCIII cuvée, while 14 indicates the disgorgement date. While this particular blend took 10 long years of elaboration, there will be more. MCIII is a revolutionary wine concept that Moët & Chandon will seek to expand, continuing to innovate and excite with each new release.