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A champagne house with a grower’s philosophy

The newly released Le Blanc de Blancs from Lanson was created by Chef de Cave Hervé Dantan upon his arrival at the House in 2013. With a base vintage of 2014, it contains 40% reserve wine and comprises Chardonnay from 15 crus, including Oger, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Vertus, Trépail and Montgueux. It is aged for a minimum of 5 years before being released.

Dear Reader,

Last year, one of the Grande Marque of Champagne, the House of Lanson, celebrated its 260th anniversary. As was the case here at GD for our 20th anniversary, the milestone came and went with not too much ceremony and, in the context of current times, wasn’t exactly the kind of celebration Lanson was hoping for. Nevertheless, and again like us, a lot has been happening behind the scenes. Lanson has revitalised its entire range of champagne and relaunched it with a new look and feel. Part of the relaunch included the release of their highly anticipated new Le Blanc de Blancs; a non-vintage cuvée true to the House’s style and that incorporates more reserve wine and undergoes longer maturation.

Founded in 1760 by François Delamotte, Lanson is one the oldest champagne houses. Together with 57 hectares of vineyards that Lanson owns, they have longstanding contracts with over a hundred family-run farms across the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs, many of whom have supplied Lanson for generations. These relationships are responsible for grapes from around a hundred different crus, with half of them classified as grands and premier crus.

Following the appointment of Chef de Cave Hervé Dantan in 2013, Lanson has undergone a series of significant changes. The shift in direction and investments made all demonstrate that the House has adopted an overall philosophy more akin to a champagne grower than one of the Grande Marque the market is used to. This all makes perfect sense considering Dantan’s parents were both farmers. There is a strong focus on terroir and, as a result, the champagne has seen a steady rise in quality. At Lanson’s winery in the centre of Reims, all the tanks have been reorganised according to vineyard plot so as to accentuate the influence of the diversity of their crus, and a “chai bois” has been installed to hold the reserve wines. “The influence of terroirs on the wines requires a perfect knowledge of their diversity and specificity to allow an even finer selection of grapes, it is a key element to making great wines”, says Hervé Dantan. Lanson is committed to more sustainable viticulture which means additional support to growers.

All of these changes have culminated in a new trajectory and ultimate vision for each blend. Among them is the new Le Blanc de Blancs, one of the latest additions to the Lanson “Core Range” and which was created by Hervé Dantan. His objective is to magnify the freshness of the Lanson style, combining it with the freshness of the Chardonnay. This champagne is made with a selection of the finest crus of Chardonnay including Oger, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Vertus, Trépail and Montgueux. It includes 40% reserve wine from grands and premier crus, matured in oak casks, spread over 20 years, which has benefitted from a longer ageing time in the cellar.

“Based on the 2014 vintage (supplemented by fully 40% reserve wines) and disgorged in February 2020 with seven grams per liter dosage, Lanson’s NV Brut Le Blanc de Blancs offers up attractive aromas of citrus oil, flowers, white peach and brioche. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and fleshy, with racy acids and a pinpoint mousse, it concludes with a mouthwatering, delicately chalky finish.”
92+ points | William Kelley for Wine Advocate | March 2021

As part of the newly launched Lanson labels, each champagne shows off a more streamlined look together with a very detailed back label that lists the crus, dosage, blend (including amount of reserve wine), maturation time, harvest time and disgorgement date.

Browse the Lanson range on our website or speak to your account manager about a selection to enjoy with family and friends.

Lanson line-up

*Prices are per bottle and incl. VAT

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