At A Glance
- Field
- Detail
- Region
- Champagne
- City
- Reims
- Main grapes
- Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
- Named cuvée
- Noble Cuvée
- Defining feature
- Fermentation without malolactic fermentation
The Producer
Champagne Lanson is one of the oldest Champagne houses in existence. The house is known for a fresh style, and has been an official supplier of Champagne to the British royal court since 1900.
Place
Reims is the home city of Champagne Lanson. The house sources Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards in the Côte des Blancs. Grand Cru names the highest vineyard classification in Champagne, identifying grapes from its top rated vineyard villages. Those grapes are used across Lanson's standard and prestige bottlings.
Story
François Delamotte, a local magistrate, founded the house in 1760. In the 1990s, Moët et Chandon acquired Lanson and sold it within six months while retaining almost all of the vineyards involved in the purchase. The sale left the house and most of those vineyards under different ownership.
Vineyards And Cellar
Lanson leaves malolactic fermentation out of its wines. In this process, bacteria convert sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid. Keeping that conversion out preserves malic acid, so the wines retain freshness, bright acidity and the capacity to live for a long time.
Wines
Lanson's standard and prestige bottlings use Grand Cru grapes. Noble Cuvée normally combines approximately 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. The range also includes Black Label, Le Rosé Création, Le Vintage and Blanc de Blancs, moving from a core cuvée and rosé to vintage and white grape styles.
In The Glass
Black Label has well defined, crisp acidity balanced by delicate sweetness, with a clean, crisp finish. Le Rosé Création opens with strawberries and raspberries, rose petal and a hint of citrus peel; its acidity is gentle, its texture smooth, and its finish rounded. Le Vintage is pale gold, with dried and candied fruit, grilled almonds, apricots, figs and mandarin, followed by a textured mouthfeel and lingering tangy nuances. Blanc de Blancs brings crisp orchard fruit and honey melon with toasted brioche and ripe fruit aromas.
A Bottle To Understand It
The first bottle is Noble Cuvée. It is Lanson's prestige cuvée, with Chardonnay in the lead and Pinot Noir supporting it, using Grand Cru grapes in the blend. Chardonnay brings acidity and orchard fruit, while Pinot Noir adds red fruit and breadth, placing both grape varieties in one bottle.
Anecdote
Collection 1985 was released in magnum after spending more than three decades on lees. Lees are the yeast cells left after the second fermentation, and long contact can build toast and creaminess while protecting the wine from oxygen. A commercially available Champagne held for that length of time is unusual. It was released as Collection 1985 in magnum.
Final Word
Champagne Lanson is a Reims house where Grand Cru Chardonnay sourcing and the decision to leave out malolactic fermentation shape the wines.
Sources
- lanson.com/en
- quillandpad.com/2019/06/25/lanson-champagne-long-history-corporate-intrigue-superb-maturation-well-priced-and-thrilling-wines
- vinepair.com/articles/ntk-champagne-lanson
- luxurylondon.co.uk/taste/drink/champagne-lanson-le-rose-creation-tasting-notes
- www.bottledandboxed.com/buying-guides/guide/the-house-of-lanson
- www.vinovest.co/blog/lanson-champagne