Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut

(roughly 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier and 15% Chardonnay; 9 g/l dosage; LAIBG): Light, bright yellow. Musky pear and toasty lees on the nose and in the mouth. Fleshy and open-knit, with a hint of bitter lemon pith adding back-end cut. Finishes on a gently smoky note, with very good cling and focus and a hint of bitter quinine. This must be the best example of this bottling that I've had in years, if not decades. In the past the Imperial Brut received a dosage of 12 g/l, but no more; in fact, there's talk that in the near future it may be dropped down as far as 7 g/l.

A blend of more than 100 different wines, this nonvintage cuvée is the Moët et Chandon signature. It is full, showing some attractive bottle aging and ripe with creamed-apple fruits. A sense of dryness comes from the acidity that gives the aftertaste a lift. Drink now.