Aging has never looked this good and it is all thanks to the Moët & Chandon MCIII Brut 001.14. More about that somewhat awkward name in a bit. Released just over a year ago, it has taken awhile to get to some markets here in Southeast Asia. The luxury champagne producer has created a multi-vintage champagne using vintage wines that are matured in three distinct environments. To craft a truly bold and unique vintage, Moët & Chandon captured the attributes that are associated with each aging environment.

Using a three-stratum assemblage process, the ultra-premium cuvée has been 15 years in the making and appears to be a new favorite amongst champagne lovers around the world. The first of the stratums sees an equal mix of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from 2003 vintages, aged in stainless steel vats that provides a rich and fruity flavor.

The second stratum sees grand vintages from the 1998, 2000 and 2002 harvests that have been aged in oak casks before being stored in stainless steel vats. The final 25% of the cuvée is made up of the third stratum that blends Grand Vintages from 1993, 1998 and 1999. The three acclaimed vintage champagnes were bottled, aged and then disgorged before being blended into the mix.

The result of this carefully crafted mix is a fragrant champagne that features notes of coffee, malt, mocha, praline, liquorice, Tonka bean, pecan, citrus peel, citron, kumquat, bergamot and verbena. According to the Chef de Cave of the House of Moët & Chandon, the MCIII Brut 001.14 is best enjoyed in a Zalto Denk’Art Cristal Glass, which boasts ideal proportions and angles that preserve the freshness of the wine and enhances its flavor. Getting back to the name, the 14 refers to the year of disgorgement (2014) while the 001 refers to the batch (it is the first).

The Moët & Chandon MCIII Brut 001.14 can be purchased at Moët & Chandon.