For over 260 years, Champagne Lanson has perfected the art of creating sparkling wines that embody elegance and the spirit of celebration. This iconic house isn’t just the official Champagne of Wimbledon, the world’s most prestigious tennis championship. It’s also a favourite among British royalty. Right here in Reims, France, you’ll find Lanson poured at the city’s finest restaurants and exclusive events like the chic Soirée Blanche de Reims.
Recently, I was honoured to be among the first guests invited to Champagne Lanson’s ephemeral experience, À la rencontre des terroirs de la Maison. This avant-premiere visit offers an immersive journey through the unique terroirs that define Lanson’s signature taste. Join me as I share the discoveries from my visit below!
PS: Use my promo code BUSYGIRL15 for -15% off purchases from Champagne Lanson’s online boutique! Available for any order, no minimum purchase. Available until 31/12/2024 on www.lanson.com
Menu
About Champagne Lanson
The Royal Warrant
Into the Vineyards
The Barrel Room
Visiting the Cellars
The Tasting
Overall Thoughts
About Champagne Lanson
The Early Days
The story of Champagne Lanson began in 1760, when a visionary magistrate named François Delamotte set his sights on an exciting new frontier: winemaking. In Reims—fittingly, on the very street where I once lived—Delamotte founded his Champagne house. In those early days, Champagne was still a curiosity, a sparkling surprise only just capturing the fascination of Europe’s elite. The region had yet to even be recognized as an official appellation. But Delamotte was confident in Champagne’s potential as a drink for celebrations.
The next chapter unfolded in the early 19th century when Delamotte’s son, Nicolas-Louis, took the reins. As a Knight of the Order of Malta, he adopted the Maltese cross as a symbol for the Maison. Teaming up with his close friend and expert winemaker, Jean-Baptiste Lanson, they took the Champagne house to new heights. Their shared passion produced something exceptional: a Champagne style that was fresh, vibrant, and structured. They broke tradition by avoiding malolactic fermentation to preserve a signature zest that would become Lanson’s calling card.
To mark Jean-Baptiste’s profound influence, the house became known as “Lanson” in 1837. Under his expert guidance, Champagne Lanson quickly grew in stature, captivating palates across Europe and earning a noteworthy reputation.
Through the 1900s
I began my visit with a tour through the Maison’s storied history, guided by its remarkable cuvées. Among the treasures was a bottle from 1901—the Maison’s first to bear the word “Champagne” on its label. A vintage from 1904 is the oldest still lovingly preserved in the cellars.
Lanson’s Black Label was debuted in 1937. It was crafted by Jean-Baptiste’s son, Victor, and remains the flagship Champagne of the House (now named Le Black Création). Victor didn’t stop there—he was a pioneer in creating and marketing rosé Champagnes. He also introduced Lanson to the royal courts of Sweden and Spain.
And then there’s Lanson’s famed partnership with The Championships, Wimbledon. Founded in 1877 in London, Wimbledon is the oldest and most revered tennis tournament in the world. Since 1977, Champagne Lanson has been a fixture at the Championships, with more than 150,000 glasses enjoyed by fans each year. In 2001, Lanson became the tournament’s Official Champagne Partner. Each Wimbledon-inspired cuvée is a tribute to the grace and grandeur of world tennis.
Lanson Today
Today, as part of the prestigious Lanson-BCC Group (Lanson-Boizel Chanoine Champagne), Champagne Lanson continues to thrive, building on its legacy while looking toward an exciting future. From the royal courts of England to the tennis courts of Wimbledon, Lanson’s story is a tale written in bubbles that live on in every bottle.
The Royal Warrant
On December 4, 1900, Champagne Lanson received the ultimate honour: a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria. This grants it the status of official Champagne supplier to the British Royal Court. Unlike other Champagne houses that have drifted in and out of royal favour, Lanson’s warrant is the only one that has been consistently renewed for more than a century. This uninterrupted endorsement speaks volumes—a testament to the house’s deep-rooted bond with British royalty and the English public. For generations, Lanson has poured into glasses at royal celebrations, embodying the distinction of a truly royal Champagne.
Into the Vineyards
This immersive experience brought me up close to the essence of Champagne Lanson’s terroirs. Their vineyards span 430 hectares, including 60 under their own name, with 16 hectares dedicated to organic and biodynamic practices. With access to over a hundred Crus—half of them Grand and Premier—their focus is on Pinot Noir.
The crown jewel, however, is the Clos de Lanson, a rare one-hectare walled vineyard right in Reims, dating back to the 18th century. Hidden atop a hill with stunning views of the Cathedral de Reims, this clos is planted exclusively with Chardonnay. Since 2006, it is used exclusively to produce the epinomous Clos de Lanson Blanc de Blancs. Its enclosed walls create a unique microclimate that enhances the grapes’ richness. This clos yields just a limited number of exclusive bottles each year.
Adding to the charm, beehives are nestled among the vines. They support essential pollination for cover crops and yield honey that’s harvested and available in the boutique. This is a beautiful initiative that I particularly love. Champagne Lanson kindly gifted me a pot too!
The Barrel Room
Champagne Lanson’s vinification facilities are as impressive as they are thoughtfully designed. Four in-house presses are located close to the vineyards, allowing for immediate pressing that captures the purest expression of the grapes. Each Cru is vinified in the recently redesigned vat room. Beautifully labeled stainless steel vats meticulously preserve the distinct qualities of Lanson’s diverse terroirs.
Lanson’s wooden cellar is dedicated to ageing its reserve wines and special cuvées, like the Clos de Lanson Blanc de Blancs. These oak barrels, sourced from Burgundy, have been used twice for still white wines. This ensures a refined, subtle influence on the Champagne without overpowering it.
While Lanson chooses to avoid malolactic fermentation to retain its signature freshness, it achieves a remarkable richness by ageing its Champagnes well beyond the legal minimum. The house ages its non-vintage Champagnes for a minimum of four years—far exceeding the 15-month requirement. Vintage wines age for an even longer period. This brings complexity and depth to each bottle.
Visiting the Cellars
I then descended into Paradise Lanson—the cool, mysterious cellars where millions of bottles rest in 7 kilometres of chalky corridors. The limestone walls keep the temperature and humidity at the perfect level, an underground haven that lets the Champagne age gracefully over time.
Among these historic tunnels, my favourite is Lanson’s oenothèque, a gated chamber that holds a priceless collection of vintages dating back to 1904. With over 200,000 bottles carefully preserved, it’s a liquid archive, capturing over a century of the Maison’s history and savoir-faire in every bottle. Each vintage represents a different era and tells its own story of Champagne-making through the ages.
Another fascinating sight is the selection of old vintages that have never been disgorged. Stored upside down to keep the lees undisturbed, these bottles are saved for only the most exclusive occasions and clients, preserving their rich character for years to come.
The cellar visit ended on a reverent note, in front of a small bust of the Virgin Mary. Its origins are shrouded in mystery—some say it was rescued from the ruins of the Cathedral of Reims during World War II. A bronze plaque beneath the statue reads that she watches over the workers and the Champagne Lanson family, a quiet guardian of the cellars and the artistry they hold.
The Tasting
The tasting during this ephemeral visit was truly unforgettable, set right at the heart of it all: in front of the barrel room. I had the rare opportunity to sample offerings that are usually reserved for insiders, including vins clairs and some of Lanson’s most exclusive, high-end cuvées. It is a unique experience, a full immersion into the essence of Champagne Lanson in a way few get to enjoy.
Vin Clairs
Vins clairs are the still base wines of champagne. The first was a 2019 Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims. Pale yellow and very acidic, it has aromas of lemon juice, yellow apple, and an appealing salinity.
The second was in complete contrast. A white 2003 Pinot Noir from Bouzy displayed a deeper gold colour with appealing, richer and more complex aromas of Tarte tatin. Still acidic, but much more enjoyable!
Le Black Création 258
Le Black Création is the reinvention of Lanson’s flagship Black Label. Each Création is given a number corresponding to the number of blends made since the House was founded in 1760. 258, the current number, corresponds to an assemblage with the base year 2018.
Tasting the signature wine is not just a great way to understand the Maison’s style. It is also useful to compare with the more exclusive cuvées. It’s fresh and light with a hit of orchard fruit (think pears, apples) and citrus on the nose. A decent choice for apéro.
Le Green Bio-Organic
Remember how I mentioned that Champagne Lanson has 16 ha of biodynamic vineyards? Well, they are located at their Malmaison Estate in the heart of the Vallée de la Marne. These are the vines behind this interesting cuvée.
The nose immediately brought me back to Southeast Asia, with delicate aromas of frangipani, wildflower honey, wet leaves, and a hint of spices. It’s quite unlike Lanson’s usual style and I enjoyed it. A brilliant discovery of the tasting!
Le Clos Lanson 2010
After visiting its eponymous vineyard, tasting this wine was very special. Especially since the cellars are also located underneath these vines! My tasting included the newly released 2010 vintage.
The 2010 growing season was one of the coolest and driest in recent decades, with ripening accelerated only by late-summer rains and a warm spell. The harvest required an intense selection process. After twelve years on the lees, the 2010 vintage reveals a striking elegance and ethereal lightness that perfectly captures the character of this unique year and doesn’t feel old. Only 4628 bottles were produced (quite a small year!).
This one wowed me. Gorgeous and generous, it reminds me of a Burgundy. It has a sort of gourmand spiciness that I find enticing: cinnamon rolls with a hint of mace, poached pears and peach, lime zest. It’s seductive and balanced. Very much the kind of Champagne I normally reach for!
Overall Thoughts about Champagne Lanson
Overall, À la Rencontre des Terroirs de la Maison is an insightful experience that brings you into the heart of Champagne Lanson’s terroirs. More than just a cellar tour, it takes visitors directly into the vineyards themselves. The contrasts between the cuvées were fascinating to explore, and the location of the tastings added depth. It’s an enjoyable experience that I would recommend to Lanson enthusiasts.
Thank you to the Champagne Lanson team for this invitation.
PS: Use my promo code BUSYGIRL15 for -15% off purchases from Champagne Lanson’s online boutique! Available for any order, no minimum purchase. Available until 31/12/2024 on www.lanson.com
