Lancelot Pienne : Marie Lancelot Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2018

Characteristics and tasting tips for Lancelot Pienne’s Marie Lancelot Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2018

Tasting

Appearance

Bright pale gold hue with luminous highlights. Fine, persistent effervescence enlivens the glass, reflecting the elegance of this Champagne.

Nose

The bouquet opens with an intense chalky minerality, the signature of Cramant’s terroir, accompanied by iodine and saline notes. Aromas of fresh white flowers, hawthorn and almond blossom bring a springtime dimension. The nose also reveals hints of candied citrus, fresh lemon and pear, while aeration brings out subtle touches of warm pastry and toasted almonds.

Palate

The attack stands out for its finesse and remarkable tension. The palate is at once lively and creamy, carried by refreshing acidity that gives structure to the whole. Flavors of white fruits, green apple and pear combine with a creamy texture from extended aging. The exceptionally long finish lingers on mineral, chalky and saline notes, with a touch of citrus that lends great precision to the whole.

Food and wine pairings

This Champagne pairs perfectly with fresh oysters, lightly seared scallops or a white-fish carpaccio brightened with lemon and ginger. It also elegantly accompanies grilled shellfish, poultry in a cream sauce or spring asparagus. Ideal as an aperitif as well, it will open a gastronomic meal with refinement.

Serving and cellaring

Marie Lancelot Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2018 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 8 and 10°C. This Champagne can be enjoyed now, but it also has cellaring potential of around fifteen to twenty years, during which it will continue to develop its aromatic complexity.

A Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru from Cramant with crystalline minerality

The estate

Champagne Lancelot Pienne embodies more than 120 years of family history in Champagne winegrowing. Based in Cramant, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, the House was born from the union of the Lancelot and Pienne families. Since 2005, Gilles Lancelot has led the estate with a philosophy centered on the authentic expression of terroir and respect for the environment. Joined in 2022 by his son Julien, representing the sixth generation, the estate farms 8.5 hectares of vines. Certified HVE 3 and Terra Vitis, Lancelot Pienne has established itself as one of Champagne’s most respected grower-producers, renowned for its mineral, elegant cuvées that reflect the purity of Cramant’s chalky soils.

The vineyard

The vineyard behind this Grand Cru Champagne lies exclusively on the terroir of Cramant, a village classified Grand Cru in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. The vines, averaging fifty years of age, drive their roots into pure chalk soils characteristic of this exceptional area. These chalky terroirs, composed of outcropping chalk limestone, provide natural water regulation and give the wines that highly sought-after crystalline minerality. The parcels come from several prestigious lieux-dits in Cramant, farmed according to sustainable principles, with grass cover between the rows and soil work by ploughing. The advanced age of the vines, some of which were planted in the 1970s, ensures remarkable aromatic complexity and depth of expression.

The vintage

The 2018 vintage in Champagne proved exceptional, shaped by particularly favorable weather conditions. After an exceptionally rainy winter that replenished water reserves in the chalky soils, the warm, sunny summer allowed the grapes to ripen ideally. The combination of fine phenolic maturity and preserved acidity produced Chardonnays of remarkable balance. Harvesting, which began on August 17, 2018, was the earliest ever recorded in the region. The impeccable health of the grapes and their outstanding aromatic concentration made it possible to craft wines of great purity, making 2018 a vintage widely acclaimed as one of the most promising of recent decades.

Vinification and aging

Marie Lancelot Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2018 was vinified using methods that favor the pure expression of terroir. After gentle pressing, the musts fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats at between 18 and 20°C, preserving aromatic finesse and natural acidity. The wine underwent complete malolactic fermentation, adding roundness and complexity. After ten months of aging on lees in tank, bottling took place in July 2019 for the secondary fermentation. The Champagne then aged for sixty months on slats in Cramant’s chalk cellars at a constant temperature, developing aromatic complexity and fine bubbles. After disgorgement, a minimal dosage of 2.2 g/l was applied, respecting the Extra Brut classification and allowing the terroir to express itself fully.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay from old vines on Cramant’s Grand Cru terroir.