NV Lanson Brut Black Label

Based on the 2017 vintage, with 51% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay, and the rest Meunier, the NV Champagne Le Black Creation 257 Brut pours a straw hue and is aromatic of pure red berries, toasted graham crackers, and fresh flowers. Medium-bodied, it’s elegant on the palate, with a lively mousse and a soft mineral texture as well as a beautiful perfume on the finish. It is a great entry to the range, and I am thrilled to see where they are taking this cuvée. Drink 2023-2033. Cellar master Hervé Dantan took over in 2013 and is the third generation in his family of winegrowers. In addition to working and studying in Champagne, Mr. Dantan also spent time in Burgundy and at Gloria Ferrer in Sonoma. Historically, the winery entirely blocked malolactic fermentation, but they’re no longer dogmatic about it, although they continue to strive for a crispy style. Since Hervé’s arrival, they have worked to create a vineyard team and are moving to becoming certified sustainable and using organic practices whenever possible. They work with 400 different partners in the vineyards. The vineyard La Clos de Lanson in Reims is the only urban clos in the region and is a single hectare planted to Chardonnay. It’s the only parcel that’s fermented in barrel, and the latest release is the 2007 vintage. The vintage bottlings are produced from Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites, with the prestige cuvées consisting entirely of Grand Cru. Structural developments include a barrel room built in 2015 and a new press house in Verzenay that opened last year. The press house is also the home of a new future clos currently of young vines facing the landmark windmill of the village. With this year’s releases, Dantan and the team are working to show more transparency in their labeling, beginning with the Black Label. Consumers will find that there is now a “Creation” number added to the label, with this year’s release called Creation 257, as it is the 257th release. For future releases, the numbers will move forward sequentially.

Disgorged on June 2023 and based on the 2018 vintage, the NV Brut Black Label has a delicate, herbal bouquet with aromas of orchard fruit, spring flowers, lemon oil and spices, followed by a medium-bodied palate with tensile and bright acids. It concludes with an energetic, elegant finish.

Lanson's debut release of a new 'création' from winemaker Hervé Dantan each year. This one, with lots of lovely information on the back label, is based on 2017 with 45% reserve wines back to 2008. 51% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay and 13% Pinot Meunier, including 95 crus of which 50 are premiers or grand crus. Disgorged in January 2023 with a relatively high dosage of 8 g/l. Only 24% of the blend went through malo, however, which presumably adds to its freshness. Complex, well-settled nose. This wine is much more welcoming than the old Lanson Black Label with its defiantly 100% blocked malo that left the young wine so tart. This seems absolutely ready to enjoy and really quite a success. Almost mellow! (JR)