Lanson champagne Black Creation Brut

Champagne Black Création Lanson Brut

Champagne Lanson Le Black Création Brut is the emblematic cuvée of Maison Lanson, one of the oldest Champagne houses founded in 1760. This non-vintage brut champagne embodies the Lanson style, renowned for its freshness, elegance and finesse. Formerly known as Lanson Black Label, it was renamed "Le Black Création" in 2023 to highlight the creativity and singularity of each annual blend. Le Black Création is a multi-millennial blended wine made from several vintages and years, for a result that is remarkably consistent in taste from year to year. After long ageing in the cellar, this cuvée reveals all the complexity of its terroir and production, offering an aromatic profile that is fruity, lively and subtly brioche-like.

Technical specifications

Here are the main technical characteristics of this cuvée:

• Blend: approximately 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier (the three Champagne grape varieties combined)
• Non-vintage: blend of wines from different years (with a proportion of around 40% reserve wines to ensure complexity and consistency).
• Grape origin: nearly 95 crus are used in the composition, of which around half are Grands Crus and Premiers Crus selected by the Chef de Caves.
• Vinification: malolactic fermentation not carried out on most of the wines to preserve natural acidity and liveliness (the house signature)
• Ageing: aged for 4 years in the house cellars on lees, well beyond the requirements of the appellation, to refine aromas and texture.
• Dosage: Brut (8 g/L sugar) - a moderate dosage that balances freshness and roundness.

Benefits

Champagne Lanson Le Black Création Brut offers a number of advantages that make it a preferred choice among non-vintage Brut champagnes:

• Cuvée de prestige et de tradition: The signature cuvée of a historic house, it benefits from over two centuries of Champagne expertise. The house is careful to perpetuate its original style while innovating (as evidenced by the new name and detailed information on the label).
• Demanding elaboration: A long ageing period of 4 years and a rigorous selection of crus give this champagne a maturity and complexity rare for a non-vintage. The absence of malolactic fermentation for the most part preserves fresh acidity, balanced by the addition of a small proportion of wines that have undergone malolactic fermentation for greater roundness - a subtle balance that is perfectly mastered.
• Aromatic richness: A harmonious aromatic profile combining fruit and delicacy. On the nose, aromas of fresh fruit (Williams pear, crisp apple, citrus) mingle with delicate notes of spring flowers, honey and toasted brioche. Full-bodied and lively on the palate, with flavors of ripe orchard fruit and juicy citrus (tangerine, grapefruit), enhanced by pastry nuances (viennoiserie, dried fruit) testifying to prolonged aging.
• Balance & finesse: Combining vitality and elegance, power and finesse, this cuvée offers the airy, sparkling texture that is the signature of the Lanson style. It has received critical acclaim, including 2 stars in the Guide Hachette des Vins 2024 and high marks in the international press (92/100 Wine Spectator, 90/100 Wine Enthusiast, 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson, etc.).
• Gastronomic versatility: A highly versatile champagne, it can be enjoyed both as an aperitif and at the table. Its freshness makes it ideal as an aperitif, while its structure and complex aromas enable it to accompany a wide range of fine dishes throughout the meal.

Context of use

Thanks to its balance and liveliness, Lanson Le Black Création Brut is perfect for aperitifs. Its sparkling freshness ideally opens the palate and whets the appetite. It's also an ideal accompaniment to any meal: it goes very well with starters and light poultry or fish dishes. Successful pairings include pan-fried scallops, salmon tartar or even elegant tuna sushi. At the end of the meal, this champagne can accompany a fruity dessert - it excels with strawberry or raspberry flavors - or a light chocolate dessert, reminiscent of the House's suggested pairing with chocolate strawberries. Versatile and full of finesse, this champagne will suit both special occasions and moments of relaxation, adding a refined touch without being too imposing.

Differentiation

What sets Black Création Brut apart from other champagnes in its category? Firstly, its very concept of an annual numbered "Création": each edition bears a unique number (the current cuvée is Le Black Création n°257) corresponding to the number of blends made since the house was founded. This exceptional transparency - indicating, for example, the proportion of reserve wines and the base year of the blend - is rare in the world of Brut sans année and testifies to Lanson's desire to showcase the creative work of the Chef de Caves.

Secondly, Lanson stands out for its oenological approach: it is one of the few houses to systematically practice non-malolactic fermentation on its non-vintage champagnes, thus preserving a high natural acidity that guarantees freshness and longevity. For Le Black Création, this traditional method is cleverly combined with a touch of modernity - a small proportion of the wines can now undergo malolactic fermentation or be aged in oak foudre, to add an extra "spice" of roundness and aromatic complexity without denying the liveliness of the Lanson style. Few houses know how to combine tradition and innovation in this way.

Finally, Le Black Création benefits from a supply of exceptional grapes: Lanson has partnerships covering some 420 hectares, a large proportion of which are Premiers and Grands Crus. The richness and diversity of the terroirs (Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, Vallée de la Marne, etc.) are reflected in the wine, giving it depth and character. In short, this champagne stands out for its meticulous design, its asserted heritage and its unique taste profile, a true reflection of Lanson savoir-faire.

Tasting advice

To fully appreciate this champagne, a few serving tips are in order. Serve Champagne Lanson Le Black Création Brut chilled, at an ideal temperature of 6 to 8°C. Be careful not to serve it too icy, to preserve the richness of its aromas - between sandy and too cold, it's best to aim for ~8°C. Choose a tulip glass or white wine glass rather than a narrow flute: a wider opening will allow this champagne's complex aromatic bouquet to fully develop.

Before serving, we recommend resting the bottle in the refrigerator for several hours (avoid the freezer, which would roughen the wine). When you open the bottle, do so gently, without popping the cork, to preserve all the finesse of the bubbles. Once served, sip to appreciate the evolution of flavors on the palate. This champagne, already pleasant to drink now, can also be cellared for a few more years (5 to 7) if you wish to let it gain further complexity. As with any wine, it should ideally be stored away from light, at a cool, constant temperature.