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Lanson Le Rosé NV
Lanson Le Rosé is a signature rosé Champagne from Maison Lanson, one of the oldest Champagne houses in France. Lanson’s tradition of crafting high-quality rosé Champagne dates back over a century, making it one of the pioneers in this category.
Lanson was founded in 1760 in Reims, France, by François Delamotte, making it the sixth oldest Champagne house, initially operating under the name Maison Delamotte.
In 1798, Nicolas-Louis Delamotte, son of François, took over and partnered with Jean-Baptiste Lanson, a friend of the family.
In 1837, the company was renamed Lanson, Père et Fils to honor Jean-Baptiste Lanson’s contribution. That same year, Maison Lanson adopted the Maltese Cross as its emblem, in tribute to the son of the house’s founder, a member of the Hospitaller Order of Malta.
The first Lanson Rosé was created in 1833. On December 4, 1900, Maison Lanson received the Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria, the prestigious patent awarded by the British monarch to suppliers to the Royal Court of England. Lanson was one of the first Champagne houses to be awarded this distinction, and continues to hold it today. The house maintains a strong focus on traditional methods, avoiding malolactic fermentation, which preserves the Champagne’s fresh and crisp style.
Lanson was also the first Champagne house to introduce the concept of “brut” Champagne, a drier style of sparkling wine.
The brand survived World Wars I and II, despite challenges such as vineyard destruction and economic downturns.
In 1972, Lanson introduced its prestigious “Noble Cuvée”, a high-end vintage Champagne. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Lanson continued its global expansion, particularly in the United States and Asia. In 1990, Lanson was acquired by the Groupe Marne et Champagne. In 1996, the brand was sold to Boizel Chanoine Champagne Group (BCC), now known as Lanson-BCC Group, which revitalized the house while maintaining its heritage.
While rosé Champagne is widely popular today, it was not always a common style. Lanson was one of the first Champagne houses to produce a rosé Champagne, pioneering the craft in the early 19th century. At the time, rosé Champagne was rare and primarily consumed by European elites.
Lanson’s approach to rosé was different from others because it maintained a fresh and crisp profile by avoiding malolactic fermentation, preserving the Champagne’s natural acidity.
Lanson Le Rosé NV
While Lanson had been producing rosé Champagne for decades, it officially introduced Lanson Le Rosé in 1952 as a distinct label to cater to the growing demand for premium rosé Champagne.
This bubbly is a blend of Pinot Noir (53%), Chardonnay (32%), and Pinot Meunier (15%) of which 35% are reserve wines. Le Rosé starts out as the same wine as Lanson’s most popular wine, Black Label Brut. But, the house adds about 7% still red wine of Pinot Noir from the villages of Bouzy and Les Riceys to get the Rosé effect with rich, dark berry notes. It is aged for four years in cellar, longer than the standard for non-vintage Champagne.
The wine is a nice medium-salmon color. The coarse mousse quickly dissipates, and there is almost no nose; a hint of strawberry, perhaps. On the palate, there is plenty of acidity (no malolactic fermentation, remember), expressed primarily as lemon zest, backed up by a bit of mineral bitterness and dust. There is almost none of the yeasty/bready quality I always look for in a Champagne. Despite its history and reputation, I found the Le Rosé to be quite underwhelming. The ABV is 12.5%.
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