Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial
The only bottle from the house that calls for ice cubes. Chill to about 8 degrees, pour 12 cl into a large wine glass and add three ice cubes. The melted water is part of it, and so is the glass.
Champagne that calls for ice cubes
Ice Impérial is made to be served over ice, and that is not a suggestion but the bottle's premise. The house provides precise serving instructions: chill the champagne to about 8 degrees, pour 12 cl into a large wine glass and add three ice cubes. The ice deliberately dilutes the champagne, which is precisely why this wine is fuller and fruitier than a regular brut.
The blend contains the same three grapes as the rest of the house's range: pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, from Champagne in France. The house does not provide percentages for this bottle. The alcohol content is the same as in the other bottles, 12.5%, although it naturally drops in the glass once the ice begins to melt.
In brief
Mango, guava and nectarine
Tropical and pronounced
Powerful tropical fruit: mango, guava and nectarine, with caramel and quince underneath. Remarkably fresh despite those ripe aromas.
Fruit against the acidity
The fruit is full-bodied, but firm acidity keeps it balanced. That acidity is also why the champagne does not become flabby once the ice melts.
Fresher with every cube
On ice, the fruit becomes even more pronounced while the champagne becomes softer. After five minutes in the glass, it tastes different from the first sip, and that is the intention.
Tasting profile as the house serves the bottle: 12 cl with three ice cubes. Tasted straight from the bottle, you get the same fruit, only more concentrated.
The house's serving recommendation
For this bottle, the recommendation is specific, and it is worth following precisely: about 8 degrees, 12 cl per glass and three ice cubes. That is what the champagne is designed for.
12 cl with three ice cubes
Chill the bottle to about 8 degrees, put three ice cubes in a large wine glass first, and pour 12 cl over them. This cools the champagne evenly and prevents it from foaming over the rim.
To the glasses →Large cubes, no crushed ice
Three large cubes melt more slowly than a handful of small ones. The slower the ice melts, the longer the ratio stays right; with crushed ice, you have diluted champagne within two minutes.
Bar tools →Pour glass by glass
Pour one glass at a time and return the bottle to the cooler. A 75 cl bottle provides about six 12 cl servings this way, not counting the ice in the glass.
More about champagne →Bubbles for the terrace
With its ice cubes, Ice Impérial is almost a serve in itself, so little needs to be added. If you are looking for a real cocktail with bubbles, these are the terrace classics; a simpler bottle is perfectly fine for those.
Summer cocktails
Drinks that stay cold on a hot day. Champagne on ice belongs exactly in that category.
Aperol Spritz
Aperol, bubbles and soda over plenty of ice in a large wine glass. Classic with prosecco, drier with champagne.
Hugo Spritz
Elderflower syrup, mint and lime with bubbles and soda. Light, refreshing and, like this bottle, served over ice.
Mimosa
Orange juice and bubbles in equal parts. Use a regular brut here and leave out the ice.Why a flute does not work here
Three ice cubes and 12 cl simply do not fit in a flute, and the melting water also needs room. A large wine glass with a wide bowl is the right glass here; save the flute for bottles served without ice.
More Moët & Chandon flavors
Moët & Chandon
Where it all began. On the brand page, you'll find everything about Moët & Chandon: its origins, varieties and classic cocktails.
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Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial
Wild strawberry, raspberry and a peppery note. The colour comes from approximately 10% red wine within the Pinot Noir blend.
View Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial →
Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial
Pineapple, passion fruit and stone fruit, with a hint of vanilla. The sweetest bottle from the house, made for dessert.
View Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial →
Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage
One harvest, six years in the cellar and only 5 grams of sugar per litre. White peach, jasmine and brioche.
View Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage →Questions about Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial
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