Champagne Lanson

Champagne Lanson: A Legacy of Excellence

Champagne Lanson is one of the oldest and most prestigious champagne producers in France. With over 260 years of history, this iconic house from the Champagne region has distinguished itself through its exceptional expertise, elegant cuvées, and traditional winemaking techniques. Available online at 12bouteilles.com, Lanson champagnes offer sparkling wine enthusiasts a unique sensory experience, ideal for grand occasions or special tasting moments.

History of Champagne Lanson: A Prestigious Legacy

Founded in 1760 by François Delamotte, the Lanson house is located in the heart of the city of Reims, in the Champagne region. Quickly, the house established itself as one of the pioneers in producing exceptional champagnes. In 1798, Jean-Baptiste Lanson took over the family business and gave his name to the company. Under his leadership, Lanson experienced significant expansion, exporting its champagnes across Europe and becoming the official supplier to many royal courts, including that of the United Kingdom.

One of Lanson's distinctive features is its commitment to traditional winemaking methods, thus preserving a unique signature that spans centuries. This dedication to traditional craftsmanship is combined with a spirit of innovation, allowing Lanson to remain one of the great names in champagne today.

The Characteristics of Lanson Champagnes

Lanson's distinctive style is based on the absence of malolactic fermentation in its wines. This practice, rare in Champagne, allows for the preservation of natural freshness, offering lively wines with great aromatic purity. Lanson champagnes are known for their bright acidity and aging potential, making them perfect for cellaring.

Champagne Lanson also stands out for its perfect balance between power, finesse, and lightness. Whether through its classic range or vintage cuvées, each bottle reveals remarkable aromatic complexity, blending notes of fresh fruits, citrus, and a minerality reminiscent of Champagne's chalky soils.

Lanson primarily uses three traditional Champagne grape varieties in its blends: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.

• Pinot Noir: This grape brings structure and power to the wines, with intense red fruit aromas and a rich texture.
• Chardonnay: It imparts elegance and finesse, with floral and citrus notes, as well as a lovely minerality.
• Pinot Meunier: It adds roundness and fruitiness, softening the overall profile of the wine.

The proportions of these grape varieties vary depending on the cuvées, but the resulting harmony always remains true to Lanson's style: freshness, liveliness, and purity.

Lanson's Iconic Cuvées

Lanson offers a varied range of cuvées, each with its own characteristics and suited to different tasting occasions. Here are some of the most famous ones:

Lanson Black Label Brut

The Lanson Black Label Brut is the house's signature cuvée. It is a non-vintage champagne, meaning the blend is made from several years' harvests, ensuring continuity in the house's style. Composed mainly of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this champagne is lively and refined, with notes of white flowers, white-fleshed fruits, and a hint of honey.

Lanson Rosé Label

The Lanson Rosé Label is one of the first rosé champagnes produced in Champagne. It is renowned for its beautiful salmon color and its red fruit aromas, notably strawberry and raspberry. This champagne is distinguished by its fresh and fruity character, with a full and generous palate. Perfect as an aperitif, it also pairs wonderfully with red fruit desserts.

Lanson Extra Age

The Lanson Extra Age is a blend of exceptional vintages, offering remarkable complexity. It is aged for at least five years in the house's cellars, which gives it great depth and a rich aromatic palette. It features notes of brioche, hazelnut, and dried fruits, with a long and persistent finish.

Lanson Noble Cuvée

Lanson's Noble Cuvée is the house's flagship. Produced only during the best harvests, this prestigious cuvée is composed mainly of Chardonnay from the Grand Crus of the Côte des Blancs. It is a champagne of great elegance, with delicate aromas of citrus, white flowers, and dried fruits. Its minerality and structure make it a perfect choice for grand occasions.

Traditional Winemaking Techniques

The Lanson house is renowned for its respectful approach to traditional winemaking methods, combined with modern techniques to improve the quality and consistency of its champagnes.

One of the hallmarks of winemaking at Lanson is the absence of malolactic fermentation, a step where malic acid is transformed into lactic acid to soften the wines. By avoiding this step, Lanson retains a natural acidity that gives its champagnes unique liveliness and freshness. This choice also makes the wines more suitable for aging, allowing them to develop complex aromas over time.

All Lanson champagnes are aged for long periods in the chalk cellars of Reims, some for more than five years. This prolonged aging allows the wines to gain aromatic complexity, structure, and to develop subtle aromas like brioche, vanilla, and dried fruits.

Food and Wine Pairings: Enhancing Lanson Champagne

Lanson champagnes lend themselves to a wide range of food and wine pairings due to their freshness and complexity. Here are some suggestions to enhance these wines during your meals:

• Lanson Black Label Brut: This classic champagne pairs perfectly with fresh oysters, seafood, or a cheese platter. It also goes very well with sushi or sashimi, thanks to its liveliness that contrasts with the richness of raw fish.
• Lanson Rosé Label: Ideal as an aperitif, Lanson Rosé pairs perfectly with salmon-based dishes, meat carpaccios, or red fruit desserts such as strawberry tart or raspberry charlotte.
• Lanson Extra Age: With its complexity and richness, this cuvée is perfect for more elaborate dishes like foie gras, roasted lobster, or capon. It can also accompany aged cheeses like Comté or truffled Brie.
• Lanson Noble Cuvée: This exceptional champagne is ideal for accompanying refined dishes like caviar, scallops, or truffle-based dishes.

Awards and Distinctions of Champagne Lanson

Over the decades, Lanson champagnes have received numerous awards, testament to their excellence. Whether in international competitions or by specialized critics, Lanson is regularly praised for the quality of its cuvées. Among recent awards are gold and silver medals at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and the International Wine & Spirit Competition. The Lanson Black Label Brut, in particular, has often been ranked among the best non-vintage champagnes.

Buying Champagne Lanson Online at 12bouteilles.com

If you wish to discover or rediscover Lanson champagnes, the online store 12bouteilles.com offers a wide selection of cuvées at competitive prices. There you will find both champagnes for festive occasions and exceptional cuvées for more intimate moments. Enjoy fast delivery and impeccable customer service to savor these legendary wines directly at home.

FAQ about Champagne Lanson

What sets Champagne Lanson apart from other houses? Lanson's uniqueness lies in its choice not to perform malolactic fermentation, thus preserving the freshness and liveliness of its wines. This process, combined with prolonged aging, allows Lanson to produce champagnes of great purity and exceptional longevity.

What is the best Lanson cuvée for a grand occasion? The Noble Cuvée is ideal for grand occasions. Produced only in the best years, it stands out for its elegance, finesse, and aromatic complexity. It's a prestigious cuvée, perfect for unique moments.

How does Lanson Rosé pair with dishes? Lanson Rosé pairs very well with salmon-based dishes, meat carpaccios, and red fruit desserts like tarts or mousses. Its freshness and red fruit aromas also make it perfect as an aperitif.

Where can I buy Champagne Lanson? You can buy Champagne Lanson online at 12bouteilles.com, where a wide selection of cuvées is available. The site offers fast delivery and quality service so you can enjoy these exceptional champagnes directly at home.

Why choose Lanson for an aging champagne? Thanks to its absence of malolactic fermentation and prolonged aging in the cellar, Lanson champagne has great aging potential. It thus develops more complex aromas over time, making it an excellent choice for cellaring.

What is the best Lanson champagne for an aperitif? The Lanson Black Label Brut is an excellent choice for an aperitif. Its freshness and white-fleshed fruit aromas pair perfectly with seafood or light appetizers.