History and origins
Champagne Lanson was founded in 1760 in Reims in the Champagne region of France. In 1798, Lanson adopted the Maltese Cross as its emblem. Cellar records show the creation of an early Rosé from the Maison in 1833; since 1952, Rosé has been a permanent part of the range.
Vineyards and viticulture
According to Lanson, the supply of grapes covers around 400 hectares, including 60 hectares of own vineyards and 16 hectares that are farmed biologically and biodynamically. Access to around 100 Crus includes roughly half Grands Crus and Premiers Crus. The Domaine de la Malmaison acquired in 2010 has been farmed biologically since the takeover and is AB- and Demeter-certified.
Special sites and grape varieties
Le Clos Lanson is a single vineyard of around one hectare within the historic walls of Reims, above the cellars. The vineyard lies in a special microclimate described by Lanson, has pure chalky soil and is farmed biodynamically; HVE certification has been in place since 2019. The wine produced from it consists of 100% Chardonnay. Le Green Bio-Organic comes exclusively from the eight-hectare Domaine de la Malmaison and is made up of 46% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay and 18% Meunier.
Cellar work and style
Lanson links its style with vitality, fruitiness and freshness. Traditional vinification is carried out mostly without malolactic fermentation, complemented by a small proportion of wines prepared accordingly in some of the younger cuvées. Parcel-by-parcel vinification, four own presses close to the vines and a wooden vat for reserve wines are part of the cellar work. The wines mature for a longer time in the cellar, with reserve wines playing an important role in the assemblage. Le Clos Lanson has been vinified separately since 2006; the Chardonnay ferments for several months in oak barrels and matures for the said bottling for twelve years on the lees.
