Bubbles have been a central part of any celebration for hundreds of years; the popping of a cork never fails to boost revellers spirits and make any festivity feel that little bit more decadent.
Anyone who’s ever raised a glass knows that no one does champagne quite like Moët & Chandon. The iconic brand have been sharing the magic of bubbles with the world for more than 270 years thanks to the unique wine making process referred to as méthode champenoise. It is this process that sets champagne apart from other sparkling wines, and it requires bottles to be aged for at least 15 months (here at Wonderland we’re all about educating our readers, don’t ya know). Chef de Cave Benoit Gouez is the guardian of the Moët style and spirit, bringing out the best in each year’s harvest so that us champagne slurpers can enjoy the bright fruitiness and elegant maturity of Moët every time. And yes, you read that right; we’ve guzzled enough Moët at Wonderland office birthdays to position ourselves as downright connoisseurs, thank you very much!
Cultural references to champagne are so widespread that this year Moët & Chandon has partnered with Magnum Photography to pull out some fabulous celebration moments from the image archives. Some of the photographs document the presence of Moët & Chandon at practically every flamboyant, hedonistic and achingly cool occasion of the last century. Others capture the spirit of champagne itself in a celebration of seizing the moment, redefining the rules and most importantly, letting your hair down.
Even that modern champagne spray moment was born with Moët. In 1967 Dan Gurney gave rise to a whole new champagne tradition when he did an impromptu champagne spray (with Moët of course!) over the cheering crowds after winning the Le Mans race in France. Prior to this, winners had demurely sipped their champers from a flute. Fun fact you’ll remember the next time you’re getting soaked with that delicious golden nectar in a nightclub! Don’t waste it though…
Champagne is generally associated with glamour and success, but no brand more so than Moët & Chandon, which has been enjoyed at glittering events including the Golden Globes, the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscars. This year, Moët has taken this association one step further by announcing the global Moët party day – a series of spectacular events taking place around the world in Paris, Hong Kong, Mexico City and our very own London. The Moët “Now or Neverland” party took place on 11th June, providing an opportunity for the likes of Samuel L Jackson to delight in champagne moments whilst DJ’s du jour Raleigh Ritchie and Becky Tong spun the decks. Jealous much?
Well, don’t worry, there’s still chance to combat the FOMO. Moët intend on keeping the 11th June celebration tradition alive – with 2017 marking the 50-year anniversary of the champagne spray moment! Expect a continuing champagne revolution…
Always on trend, Moët is now taking a new direction in typical French style towards spontaneous, carefree celebrations as part of everyday life. After all, who needs an excuse to pop a bottle? A pioneering spirit has always been central to the Moët brand that ceaselessly pushes the boundaries of product innovation, from viniculture to finding new ways to celebrate with champagne. Responding to celebration trends, Moët has reinvented the classic Piscine cocktail from the glamorous days of the French Riviera with Moët Ice Impérial Rose, the world’s first champagne to be enjoyed on the rocks!
Not only is Moët Ice Impérial Rose heavenly served as it is on a boiling hot day, even better, it can be used for cocktails too! Throw in a couple of strawberries and a few mint leaves and we promise, you’ll never want to go back to a boring old mimosa. Ever needed a glam pick me up to lift you out of the mud at a festival? Yeah, same. Good thing there’ll be Moët bars at Secret Garden Party this year.
As if we didn’t need any more reasons to celebrate! We’ll be sure to see you there…
