This has an unusually high proportion of Chardonnay for Lanson: 53% of the blend is Chardonnay from Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil and Trépail, while the remaining 47% is Pinot Noir from Verzenay, Mailly, Bouzy, Ambonnay, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Dizy. Although 1976 is remembered for its high ripeness, this wine is striking for its uncommon clarity and precision, feeling generous in build yet carrying its richness with such deftness and poise. This magnum was disgorged in September 2018, and it retains an energetic tension under the opulent flavours of dried and tropical fruits, its ripeness translating into greater intensity rather than excess weight. It feels harmonious and complete, at its apogee now with no sign of decline. (PL)

This was my first taste of the 1976 Lanson and I was not surprised to see it quite fresh and vibrant at age forty, given the long-aging capabilities of the non-malo wines of Lanson. This is pretty unique in the logs of Lanson vintage bottlings, as chardonnay was actually the dominant grape in the blend in 1976, with the cépages fifty-six percent chardonnay and forty-four percent pinot noir. The wine is fully mature today, but also vibrant on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet offering up scents of peach, fresh apricot, gentle nuttiness, a dollop of honey, superb soil tones and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, crisp and absolutely at its apogee, with a fine core, frothy mousse, lovely focus and grip and a long, perfectly balanced and complex finish. Lovely juice.