Lanson Black Label Brut – 375ml Redneck Wine Company

92pts Decanter

50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 15% Meunier from 100 villages in all, and including 30% reserves from 10 vintages back to 1995; a small proportion now being produced with malolactic. Black Label remains the confident barometer of Lanson, and Hervé Dantan’s first blend is a class act, a resounding statement of his talent in preserving the style and integrity of the house while meticulously polishing the edges. It’s a very important cuvée in the grand scheme of Champagne: one of the best and most consistent of the bargain set.

91pts Wine Spectator

This creamy Champagne is bright and citrusy, offering an expressive and well-meshed mix of ripe blackberry, pastry dough and pickled ginger flavors. Racy finish. Disgorged October 2016. Drink now through 2021.

91pts Wine Enthusiast

The classic Lanson nonvintage label sums up the dry style of the house, with its emphasis on crisp fruit, a taut, almost mineral texture and an ability to age in the bottle. It can be drunk now although it will mature further.

90pts Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

Disgorged in January 2018, the latest release of Lanson’s NV Brut Black Label is showing well, offering up aromas of warm biscuits, crisp orchard fruit, dried citrus rind and toasted brioche. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and crisp but fleshy, with the house’s non-malo style tempered by a generous core of fruit, concluding with a long, chalky finish. This is a very creditable non-vintage cuvée that has the cut and structure to evolve in the cellar.

90pts Wine & Spirits

With brisk flavors ranging from green apple to orange and red raspberry, this wine emphasizes fresh fruit and chalky limestone acidity. It’s clean and simply presented, ready to pour with briny oysters. Best Buy

Winemaker Notes

Black Label’s brilliant color recalls the characteristic straw tones of the Pinot Noir, with glints of amber. It is lively in the flute, with a fine stream of persistent bubbles. Its fresh aromas combine the impression of vitality and spring-time scents, together with hints of toast and honey. On the palate, bouquets of ripe fruits and citrus create a sensation of opulence yet lightness.

NM – Négociant Manipulant