The Champagne Club Awards’24 [vinothèque of the year]
The Champagne Club Awards, Vinothèque
Champagne Club
Or shall we call it ‘The Richards’ ?! Instead of ‘The Champagne Oscars’ ? We want to sum-up the year of 2025 from a Champagne perspective. In 20+ categories we hand out awards for this years most memorable Champagnes & Champagne related topics!
1970 Moët & Chandon ’Grand Vintage Collection’ magnum
Epernay
1964 Lanson ’Private Collection’
57PN 43CH
98(98)p
TASTING NOTE by Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin ‘Verzenay, Mailly, Bouzy, Dizy, Mareuil, Avize, Oger, Chouilly and Trépail were the instruments in this magical symphony of broad timbres. It is always the most difficult to describe the very best wines because words are not enough to do them full justice. I already told my host Hervé Dantan after the first sniff that this would probably be the best wine of the evening. And so it was. The normally disgorged magnum with the strange cone shape had it all. An enormous caressing breadth and depth. Lively energy, but above all a euphoric richness in both the aroma and the taste. The balance is total between yin and yang. The mint chocolate note so typical of 1964 danced in the middle, flanked by strawberry jam, acacia honey, tar, black truffle, Valrhona chocolate, cappuccino and cream toffee. The taste has all that is most present in the soft pressure wave of deliciousness that pulsates through the mouth, but also a fresh lime note that lifts the heavily loaded taste over the finish line in a 5-minute aftertaste.’
‘a symphony of time encapsulated in a bottle’
TheChampagneSommelier
1964
A vinous illusionist
And then, the true rarities. Then came 1964, and with it, almost tears. Served with Turbot ravioli and the forrest floor notes of the earthy mushrooms, this vintage struck with emotional force. Now one could sense the echoes of a bygone era. A deeper, more intense character with notes of apricot marmalade, dark chocolate, rail road tracks (!) tobacco, apple skin, mushroom, almond, and a fine mineral smokiness and an earthy undertone — a scent and flavor profile that belongs in the Louvre. A vinous illusionist changing shape with each sip. The mousse was softer, almost whispering, but the structure remained, a testament to the vintage’s inherent quality. The wine sang with the weight of a mezzo-soprano and the precision of a master winemaker’s hand. A worthy representative of a classic age. Utter perfection ! Love – Love – Love !
LANSON
★★★★
Lanson was founded in 1760 by François Delamotte it was one of the first Champagne houses. François’s son Nicolas-Louis, who was a knight in the Maltese Order, took over in 1798 and decided to use the Maltese Cross as the company’s symbol. The name Lanson didn’t appear until 1837, and it wasn’t until twenty years later that the firm moved to the present address in Reims. After a brief period in the Louis Vuitton group, Lanson ended up as part of Marne & Champagne in 1990. Today owned by BCC and run by the wonderful Philippe Baijot and his son.
The Champagne house, much appreciated by many royal families, doesn’t own its own vineyards, but instead buys its grapes from sixty different villages. They avoid using malolactic fermentation, making the nonvintage wines a little over acidic and green when young. I’ve had in-depth discussions with the heads of Lanson—including the serious former winemaker, Jean-Paul Gandon—and I must admit that I’m impressed by their solid determination to retain the house-style at any cost. It is no secret that I recommend malolactic fermentation for all blended nonvintage Champagnes that are aimed at direct consumption.
We are, on the other hand, in total agreement that the “Parkerization” that has affected all the red-wine producers of the world should be avoided in Champagne. It would be most unfortunate if the Champagne houses took into consideration my own or Tom Stevenson’s opinions when they make their wines. The region’s diversity must be preserved, and obviously there is a large following for Lanson Black Label. Even the vintage wine is markedly acidic during its first few years on the market, but actually develops very well with age. Old vintages of Lanson are sure bets and value for money. If you have the patience, put the latest vintage down in the cellar for ten years or so—then open and enjoy the bready, yet still-fresh Champagne. Wines from the 1950s, 60s and 70s are, to say the least, brilliant.
‘Noble Cuvée and the new Clos Lanson are fantastic prestige cuvées made by the genious winemaker Hervé d´Antan.’
