The noble side of Lanson: Noble Cuvée 2002

One of the nice things about going to Vinitaly is not only meeting so many producers but also to see friends who follow the Italian wine market even if they are involved with production in France. At the stand of Duca di Salaparuta  I ran into Olivier de la Giraudiére, the export director at Maison Lanson, who is once again directly handling the Italian market, where sales of Champagne are on the upturn, according to data from Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC).

The novelty this year from the Maison is certainly the long-awaited, at least for me who has tasted this Champagne during my visits to Lanson, preview of the latest Noble Cuvée. This is their top product, a cuvée de prestige that is produced in two versions: a Brut and a Blanc de Blancs. Noble Cuvée is made with select grapes from only Grand Cru villages and represents the essence of Lanson because it incarnates all the excellence that can be obtained from the vineyards and savoir faire of their Champagne production. A typical characteristic of the Lanson style is its fruity, crispy and fresh profile which here is skillfully derived from the Chardonnay, a twist for Lanson that usually focuses more on Pinot Noir.

Created by Jean-Paul Gandon, who spent 43 years at Lanson and was chef de caves from 1982 until passing the helm to Hervé Dantan, Noble Cuvée represents an example of great stylistic mastery. It was the 1979 harvest that had inspired Gandon to create this cuvée de prestige that broke with the Maison’s custom and involved blending Pinot Noir from Verzenay with Chardonnay from Avize and Oger. Produced only in years with particularly rich harvests, this latest Noble Cuvée is a vintage 2002 and will soon be available on the Italian market. Until then let’s discover some of its secrets together.

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