A champagne house founded in 1743, Moët & Chandon is the leading négociant manipulant (producer using purchased grapes) in Champagne. The brand belongs to the largest French luxury group, LVMH, under the aegis of the MHCS company, which also owns the Ruinart and Dom Pérignon brands. Prestigious and elegant, Moët & Chandon is known worldwide and has carved out a prime position in the world's most beautiful culinary palaces, as well as on tables in St Tropez and, more generally, on the French Riviera. Let's explore the history of this iconic brand together.
Épernay, home of the Moët House
The founder of the Moët house is none other than Claude Moët, a wine merchant who lived in Épernay at the beginning of the 18th century. Before the domain was acquired by Claude Moët, the property belonged to a writer who had hosted Voltaire and André Chenier there, thus laying the groundwork for an almost secret and very luxurious place. Subsequently, Claude Moët had a vast English garden built, as well as two additional pavilions for his children, Adélaïde and Victor. He also added a champagne bottle-shaped pond and an orangery. The entire design was conceived and drawn by the famous Lorraine portraitist Jean-Baptiste Isabey.
Once the work on the estate was completed, many personalities of the time resided there, such as Napoleon Bonaparte and his first wife, Josephine. A few years later, Richard Wagner, the composer, stayed in Épernay and found the inspiration he needed to create his opera Tristan und Isolde, by playing the organ in the music room.
From Moët to Moët & Chandon: A Family Affair
In 1792, Jean-Rémy Moët, the founder's grandson, took over the management of the house to perpetuate the family's know-how. With the aim of expanding the domain, he had a private mansion built in Épernay, in the old Faubourg de la Folie district, now known as Avenue de Champagne. This new building was located close to the brand's cellars and warehouses, and Jean-Rémy Moët then intensively developed the trading activity.
It wasn't until 1833 that the Moët house became Moët et Chandon. This name change was due to the entry of Jean-Rémy Moët's son-in-law, Pierre-Gabriel Chandon de Briailles, into the company's governance. He then joined Victor Moët, Jean-Rémy Moët's son, in managing the House.
Thanks to this new partnership between noble families, the brand experienced an unparalleled surge in sales, and exports to Europe developed so rapidly that Champagne was gradually exported worldwide.
Worldwide Expansion
From 1896, Robert-Jean de Vogüé, a member of a noble French family, took control of the company. In 1962, Moët & Chandon acquired Ruinart, which had previously been a serious competitor. In 1970, Maison Mercier, another Champagne house from Épernay, was added to the brand's properties. Three years later, in 1973, Moët & Chandon expanded internationally for the first time with an investment in the United States, specifically in California, where Domaine Chandon would be built in the Napa Valley.
A few years earlier, in the 1950s, Robert-Jean de Vogüé, president of Moët & Chandon, wanted to develop new activities based on its expertise, outside of champagne for the company. No expansion of the domain was possible around Reims and Épernay, so the brand turned to South America. Argentina was chosen for its exceptional wine tradition, completely distinct from other countries on the subcontinent. Robert-Jean de Vogüé was invited to Buenos Aires by his nephew, Baron Bertrand de Ladoucette. During his trip, he noticed that Argentinians in popular bars habitually drank white wine, mixed with sparkling water and ice. He then decided to launch the creation of a new spirit, a sparkling wine that was intended to compete with champagne. The goal of this product was not only to be intended for celebrations but also to integrate into the daily lives of urban Argentinians to replace whiskey.
Following the same model, other international projects were created: in Brazil in 1973, in Australia in 1986, and more recently in India and China in 2013.
Today, a brand shining worldwide
In 1971, the company invested outside the wine world with the acquisition of Parfums Christian Dior. The same year, negotiations began to merge the Moët & Chandon brand with the Hennessy Cognac house, which led to the creation of the Moët-Hennessy group, a major player in the LVMH group, initiated in 1987 following the merger with the leather goods manufacturer Louis Vuitton.
Today, the company operates over 500 hectares in Argentina for its famous sparkling wine and its variations. The Épernay property, meanwhile, owns 1,190 hectares of its own vineyards and purchases grapes from external suppliers on nearly 3,000 hectares. In total, across its 6 production sites worldwide, 2,000 hectares are dedicated to the production of the brand's sparkling wines.
With incredible and constant evolution, the brand continues to shine worldwide: 12.5 million bottles were sold in 1971, and 22.8 million were sold in 2011, a figure constantly increasing year after year!
Finally, its famous champagne, the House's star product, has been made for 150 years from the three main grape varieties of the Champagne region: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. Thus, Moët et Chandon champagnes come from the largest vineyards in the five main areas of the region.
If you are passionate about the history and creation of alcoholic beverages and wish to enrich your knowledge on this subject, we also recommend reading our article on the Jägermeister brand, the queen of party drinks!
