When you hear the words, 'Moet & Chandon', a myriad of qualities come to mind: exceptional perhaps, a luxury maybe, classic definitely, trendy well...

Before meeting with winemaker for Moet & Chandon Champagne, Marc Brevot, I had little idea of the true nature and history of this 250-year-old bubbly, besides it being rather iconic.

I was surprised that words like 'fresh' and 'cutting edge' would feature upon our meeting at The One&Only in Cape Town.

Marc was in South Africa to gather information as well as inspiration to take back home with him, as for Moet & Chandon staying connected with what the consumer wants out of a glass of their bubbles, is just as important as the consistency of this age-old Champagne.

A very relaxed Marc sat, Moet Rose Imperial in hand, and talked candidly about his passion. Here's what he had to say...

Tell me a little about yourself, and your home town (Epernay, France ? the heart of the Champagne region and also the home of Moet & Chandon), your hobbies and so on.

Besides making Champagne, I love the outdoors ? walking, mountain biking and having picnics with the kids (Marc has two girls, aged 5 and 8).

Epernay is well organised for outdoor activity, although the weather is often cool. It's got a bit of everything ? forests, rivers where one can canoe, rolling vineyards...

I really want to know, how do you pronounce Moet? Everyone seems to pronounce it differently.

In France we say 'Moet' (mo-et), but I realise that everyone has a different pronunciation. None of these are wrong; it's just their interpretation, which they are entitled to.

You have a passion for travel, which you say helps you to keep an open mind. What are your favourite places in the world?

Japan has to be my ultimate, partly because my wife is Japanese, but I really enjoy the culture and cuisine (which of course lends itself well to Champagne). They are a community that is respectful towards nature, which I also appreciate.

You have been a winemaker at Moet & Chandon since 2004. Can you tell me what your day-to-day role/activities are?

At Moet we have a large team, all in all about 1000 people. My role as winemaker involves research and development ? including a variety of different projects to maintain the quality of the Champagne.

So, I mainly work in the winery, where we conduct tastings, blendings, and maintain style and quality.

Traditionally in SA we have only drunk Champagne on special occasions, but it seems things have changed, and it's becoming more of an everyday occasion drink. How does the culture in France differ?

In France I think a lot of people will drink champagne as a party drink, but we don't have much of a history of drinking Champagne with food. The French always go for a good bottle of red with a meal. But I think things are also changing, especially with the Rose Champagne, which has opened the door for this trend.

What would you say is so special about your Rose Imperial Champagne, tell us a bit about how it is made?

Our Rose Champagne is non-vintage, which means that it is a blend of several harvests, and this gives us more room to play. The Rose is extroverted, has a sort of seduction power (which is perhaps why it has such pull with the ladies). I would say qualities such as fresh (it smells of a fresh fruit salad), spontaneous, refined as well as elegant, describe this somewhat 'showy', glamourous wine. It's also velvety on the palate.

Women definitely started the trend of drinking Rose Champagne, as they always seem embrace and are the most sensitive to new trends, but Rose is also romantic and creative, which appeals to women.

What kinds of foods would you say go with this Champagne?

Well nothing that's too extreme. Avoid things that are too spicy, too sweet, too cooked. But obviously some top chefs can get the balance right ? between the food and Champagne.

My favourite dish with this Champagne is Mediterranean, a fish we call 'Rouge', done with a Bouillabaisse base, some cooked tomatoes and a little olive oil.

In SA we make Cap Classique rather than 'Champagne', which is based on the traditional French method. How would you say Champagne differs?

There are certain key factors that go into making Champagne that are different. And because of these Cap Classique can simply never be the same.

These characteristics are central to the Champagne region, like a cool climate which has a lot of variability and many micro climates. Then there's the soil, which is typically chalky. Also there is a vast wealth of knowledge that goes into the making of Champagne, which is based in France. Lastly, there are the grapes ? Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Do you think Champagne is set to become more trendy?

Well, it already has ? both worldwide and in South Africa consumers are changing the way that they consume Champagne.

Rather than having to purchase a bottle, many restaurants and bars are now offering Moet & Chandon by the glass (which often includes a delicious food pairing, like an oyster) ? perfect for a pre-dinner aperitif. Also many chefs now pair Champagne with their dishes. People are also likely to buy a bottle for home to share with their friends, rather than order it out.

Here are some places in SA that you can pop in, for a glass of seduction...

In Johannesburg:

Ndau Lounge at The Hyatt Rosebank
Vivace bar at the Radisson Hotel Sandton
Pigalle in Sandton, Melrose Arch and Bedford View

In Cape Town:

12 Apostles: Moet & Chandon non-vintage paired with six oysters
The Kove
Pepenero