Champagne Lanson is a historic French Champagne house based in Reims, in the Champagne region. Founded in 1760 by François Delamotte, it is one of the oldest Champagne producers and is renowned for its distinctive house style, which emphasizes freshness, fruit purity, and aging potential, largely due to its traditional winemaking approach that avoids malolactic fermentation for most of its cuvées.
History
Lanson was founded in 1760 by François Delamotte, a magistrate from Reims. His son, Nicolas-Louis Delamotte, a Knight of the Order of St. Louis, began using the Maltese Cross as the house emblem, which remains a key symbol today. In 1837, Jean-Baptiste Lanson, who had been a partner with the Delamotte family, took over the management and renamed the house "Lanson Père et Fils." The Lanson family continued to manage the house for many generations, expanding its international presence, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it became a purveyor to the British Royal Family.
Throughout the 20th century, Lanson experienced various ownership changes. It was part of the LVMH group for a period before being acquired by the Groupe BCC (Boizel Chanoine Champagne), now known as Lanson-BCC, in 2006.
Winemaking and Style
Lanson's winemaking philosophy is characterized by several key elements:
- Avoidance of Malolactic Fermentation: This is a hallmark of Lanson's style. Unlike many Champagne houses that put their wines through malolactic fermentation (a process that converts tart malic acid into softer lactic acid), Lanson largely bypasses it. This preserves the natural acidity, freshness, and primary fruit aromas of the grapes, contributing to the wines' crispness and remarkable aging potential.
- Grape Varieties: The primary grape varieties used are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier, sourced from a diverse range of crus across the Champagne region.
- Extended Aging: Lanson Champagnes typically undergo extended aging on their lees in the cellars, further developing complexity, brioche notes, and a fine mousse.
Cuvees
Lanson produces a range of Champagnes, catering to different styles and price points:
- Le Black Label Brut: This non-vintage brut is the house's flagship wine and most widely recognized expression. It is a blend predominantly of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a significant proportion of reserve wines.
- Le Rosé Brut: A popular non-vintage rosé, known for its vibrant red fruit character and freshness.
- Le White Label Sec: A slightly sweeter style of Champagne, designed to be enjoyed with desserts or on its own.
- Noble Cuvée: The prestige cuvée of Lanson, made from carefully selected Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from Grand Cru vineyards and aged for many years.
- Extra Age: A range of wines designed to showcase the aging potential of Lanson's style, often blends of several vintage years.
- Vintage Champagnes: Produced in exceptional years, these wines are expressions of a single harvest.
Ownership
Since 2006, Champagne Lanson has been part of the Lanson-BCC group, one of the largest Champagne groups in the world, which also owns other notable houses such as Boizel, Chanoine Frères, and Besserat de Bellefon.
Reputation
Champagne Lanson maintains a strong international reputation for its consistent quality, distinctive house style, and long history. It is particularly popular in the UK and has held a Royal Warrant as a purveyor of Champagne to the British Royal Family since 1900.