Why it matters
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.
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.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
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.
In the cellar
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 to know
The range in view
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.
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.