The company dates back to 1743 when Claude Moet began shipping wines from the Champagne region of France to Paris. The reign of Louis XV coincided with an increased demand for sparkling wine. Moet expanded rapidly and by the end of the eighteenth century was exporting the drink all over Europe and to the United States. Claude's grandson Jean-Remy Moet brought the house to international prominence catering to such elite clientele as Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte. Chandon was added to the company name when Jean-Remy Moet turned over half the company to his son Victor, and half to his son-in-law Pierre-Gabriel Chandon de Briailles in 1832. Following the introduction of the concept of a vintage champagne in 1840, Moet marketed its first vintage in 1842. Their best-selling brand, Brut Imperial was introduced in the 1860s. Their best known label is Dom Perignon, named for the Benedictine monk fondly remembered in legend as the "Father of Champagne". Moet & Chandon merged with Hennessy Cognac in 1971 and with Louis Vuitton in 1987 to become LVMH-Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the largest luxury group in the world, netting over 16 billion euros in fiscal 2004.
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