Moet-Hennessy V.P. Affords a Whimsical Touch

Only a confident, secure executive would advance the idea of discontinuing one of his firm’s best-selling products.

As a passing notion, Count Frederic Chandon, vice president of Moet-Hennessy, did just that when he suggested eliminating the popular Moet White Star Champagne. He faulted the bubbly for its universally appealing sweetness, a style that breaks tradition with the company’s drier, more elegant wines.

Chandon was being a little flip in his comments during an interview at The Times, especially considering that the United States represents 70% of all White Star sales. But he can afford a touch of whimsy considering that his tenure with the Paris-based beverage and luxury goods company extends back to 1956.

As important as his employment longevity is Chandon’s genealogy: His family joined with another, the Moets, in the early 1800s to form what is now France’s largest Champagne house. Subsequent mergers and acquisitions led to the current corporate name.

Today’s Moet-Hennessy also includes several top-shelf subsidiaries such as Hennessy Cognac, Christian Dior perfume, Louis Vuitton leather goods and the Napa Valley’s Domain Chandon.

White Star, the object of Chandon’s fleeting concern, carries a suggested retail price of about $23. Even so, it is the one of Moet-Hennessy’s lowest-priced Champagnes. More to the count’s liking are several other vintage wines from the company’s impressive portfolio: Moet Brut Imperial ($32), Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blanc ($41) and Dom Perignon ($61).

“I always fear that we will get bad comments about (the White Star) from wine writers or the public,” he said. “I would be pleased to remove it from the United States, but we will give the public what they want. Eventually, people will move on to other (drier wines) such as brut. Then, viola. “

Chandon, who also functions as a director of Moet-Hennessy’s American operations, made it clear that he was not questioning anyone’s taste.

Once introduced to something pleasurable, such as sparkling wine, he says, people eventually trade up to the next, presumably more expensive, category--whether it be wine, perfume or luggage. In fact, Moet-Hennessy’s future is partially dependent upon Americans trading in their coolers, beers and spritzers for sparkling wine or Champagne. At least there is hope that the U.S. penchant for carbonation will unmistakably lead in that direction.

“Sales of French Champagne are increasing, especially those of our company,” said Chandon. “And the United States is a very good market. Actually, sales are better in the United States than in Europe for one reason: consumption in Europe is static, but in the United States it is up, absolutely. There is also more room for growth here because per capita consumption of Champagne is almost nothing.”

Chandon also offered a range of views on activities in the sparkling-wine world.

The grape harvest in France’s Champagne region is under way and should continue until about Oct. 26. But this year is not expected to be a particularly good one, he said, indicating that no Dom Perignon will be made from 1987 grapes. This disappointment should be partially offset by what Chandon anticipates will be a superb 1982 Dom Perignon, which may be released late next year.

He also has high hopes for a sparkling dessert wine, Petite Liqueur, that is the Moet’s first new product in more than two centuries. The rich, almost chocolate-like beverage, packaged in 200-milliliter bottles, is a blend of cognac and five different white wines.

Finally, Chandon expressed concerned about the storage conditions for Champagnes in wine shops, restaurants and homes.

“When I travel, and this is throughout the world not just in the United States, I will order vintage Moet Champagnes. Many times these wines have passed their peak and the deterioration is usually the result of improper (hot) storage temperatures.

“Poor (wholesale and retail) storage conditions are a pain in the neck for us,” he said.

There’s no doubt that buying a bad bottle of expensive Champagne would be even more disconcerting than getting a good one that was a touch sweet.

Jug Update--The Robert Mondavi Winery recently announced a reformulation of its low-end wines. The change involves adding varietal-grape designations to what had been simply called red, white and rose.

The move comes at a time when analysts project that much of the future growth in California table wines will be in the premium and super-premium categories, areas where Mondavi is well represented. Greater attention to their mass-market product, though, is likely to trigger other image improvements by competitors in the overall jug wine segment.

First introduced in 1977, Mondavi’s 1.5-liter bottles were an attempt to offer a better-value jug at a price competitive--but not in step--with the stalwarts in the category such as E & J Gallo and Sebastiani.

Several devices were used to differentiate the products, including the use of a magnum bottle, vintage dating and a cork closure--novelties at the time.

A decade later, Mondavi has decided to transform the trio, choosing, in this instance, something more varietally identifiable.

The labels will still carry the familiar designation of “Robert Mondavi White,” but all will also state a particular grape variety. California Sauvignon Blanc is found on the white wine label; the red is subtitled California Cabernet, and the rose will henceforth be known as California Zinfandel Rose. A fourth addition to the line is White Zinfandel, the only one of the group that will not prominently display Robert Mondavi’s name.

The wines are made in Woodbridge, Calif., about 100 miles from the firm’s well-known Napa valley headquarters.

One industry analyst familiar with the move said that the changes may create consumer confusion and ultimately hurt sales of the company’s similarly named premium wines, particularly its Fume Blanc (made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes) and the highly regarded Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine for Dance--At the other end of the spectrum, a tiny Napa Valley winery produced a special bottling to commemorate the Moscow Ballet’s first United States tour. As such, Folie a Deux’s 1986 California Chardonnay will be poured at intermissions when the dance company is at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium beginning next week and at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from Oct. 26 to 28.

Though respected for the quality of its wines, Folie a Deux was selected more for the company’s unique label. Against a shimmering silver background, two figurines are frozen in the midst of a dance step. For the 1,400 case custom bottling, the company has inserted the ballet phrase pas de deux just above the vintage.

The Moscow Ballet’s American tour promoters, Premiere Dance, fell in love with the label when they first saw it during preparations for the visit, said Evie Dizmang, co-owner of the winery.

Shortly thereafter the wine was selected as the official beverage for the Moscow Ballet’s 20 stops throughout the country, which feature performances in cities as disparate as Chicago and Trenton, N.J.

Being chosen as the official wine is quite an honor for Folie a Deux, considering that the 6-year-old firm’s total production is a mere 5,500 cases.

“We are at the tiniest end of the small winery scale,” said Dizmang.