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Airline pilots make surprisingly good wine. Their appreciation of the sciences, a respect for the weather and a bird's eye view of the land, all invaluable to the winemaker's art. John Ellis would take every opportune weekend away from his regular New York Paris route, to pursue a passion for viticulture. He planted the first commercial Cabernet Merlot vines in the Hamptons and found time between trans atlantic flights to work vintages amongst the Grand Cru vineyards of La Bourgogne. Ellis ultimately made the great lifelong sea change in favour of our land downunder. He settled on a farmstead outside Leongatha, amongst the slow ripening pastures of Gippsland and established a vineyard called Bellvale. It is now a place of fully mature vines and old world Burgundian techniques, sur lie et sauvage, barrel ferments and batonnage. Bellvale remains artisanally small batch, just 23 hectares of vine yields a measured harvest of spectacular quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, la saveur de la France from the top pick of Gippsland.. Placing pinot amongst the pastures»
Moet Chandon
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Moet Chandon
For over two centuries the House of Moet & Chandon has been growing it's vines in the Champagne region

Moet & Chandon is forever seeking to harness the riches of the unique terroir of Champagne and thus produce truly outstanding wines. In 1927, through the influence of Moet & Chandon, the Champagne vineyard was awarded an Appellation d'Origine, which subsequently became one of the first ever AOCs in 1935.

Moet Chandon

The history of vines in Champagne is inseparably linked to the deep chalk soil. It retains heat from the sun and moisture from the rain which it relases gradually, acting as a natural regulator. The symbiosis of grape and climate continues as the wine matures in the maze of the centuries-old chalky cellars.

The grape varieties grown are eminently suited to the climate and soil, and reflect the unique growing conditions. Chardonnay gives the blend freshness, elegance, finesse and vivacity. Pinot Noir provides fruitiness, body, strength and persistence. Pinot Meunier offers roundness and bouquet which admirably complement the other two.

Mild Atlantic breezes alternate with continental rigours. The Champagne vineyards, the most northerly in France, are regularly threatened by storms, hail and late frosts. The grapes mature slowly in this climate and by transcending these factors, the wonder of champagne is born.

Moet Chandon

All great wines are the product of the perfect union of soil and climate. But in Champagne, the human factor is more vital than in any other winegrowing area. Over the course of the centuries, Moet & Chandon winegrowers have held their own in the face of tumultuous historic events and the whims of nature. They have fashioned the soil and vines into exemplary vineyards. Moet & Chandon scientists and oenologists are at the leading edge of viticultural research.

Moet & Chandon wines are produced by a team of some ten oenologists, each with complementary experience acquired in a range of wine-growing regions around the world. The driving forces behind the team are its shared expertise, its combined sensitivities and its ongoing commitment to keeping abreast with trends, in particular through travelling and meeting with fellow wine experts.

Indeed, it is this guiding aim which determines the oenologists' decisions on which, in turn, the wine's final shape will depend.

The assemblage or blend of grape varieties is critical in determining the champagne's distinctive style. It is largely during this phase of the production process that a unifying character emerges, the complete, well-rounded and radiant personality which distinguishes all of Moet & Chandon's wines. The range from which the team can choose includes over 150 crus from the house's own vineyard as well grapes purchased from other wine growers. The three Champagne varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, continue to be the wine's mainstays, offering their complementary features and specific synergies.

Moet Chandon