Lanson Vintage Collection 1989 Demi Sec Magnum - 2026 Dinner Wine Report

On Tuesday 26 May 2026, Champagne Lanson, as the incoming Vice-Presidential House, presented a remarkable and memorable wine at the London Champagne Academy dinner: Lanson Vintage Collection 1989 Demi Sec, served en magnum.

The presentation opened with a striking observation that immediately engaged the room. It is not often that one tastes a Champagne and realises that it was not actually meant for the audience enjoying it.

This magnum is precisely such a cuvée, where a little bit of history, and a fair bit of luck, have conspired to bring it into the glass more than two decades later.

The story began at the end of the 1990s, as the world prepared for the turn of the Millennium. Lanson’s German importer commissioned a special cuvée, designed to be celebratory, generous and just a touch indulgent. The result was built on the 1989 vintage, a wonderfully warm and generous year, composed of 56 percent Pinot Noir for power and depth and 44 percent Chardonnay for finesse and length, sourced from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards.

Lanson Chef de Cave Hervé Dantan

The plan had been simple. The magnums would be shipped to Germany, opened at midnight and enjoyed in celebration of the new century. However, in December 1999, violent storms swept across Europe, bringing widespread disruption to France and Germany. Celebrations were cancelled and the Champagne was never shipped.

Instead, the wine remained in Lanson’s cellars in Reims, quietly ageing undisturbed. Not for one year. Not for ten. But for over two decades. In 2021 and 2022, during a full audit of the house’s historic reserves, Chef de Cave Hervé Dantan rediscovered these magnums. A cuvée never released, transformed far beyond its original intention. A true piece of Champagne serendipity.

In the glass, the Champagne challenged expectations. Yes, it is classified as Demi Sec, with a dosage of around 35 grams per litre. However, rather than presenting sweetness, the dosage expresses itself through texture, weight and opulence, broadening the palate and delivering generosity.

Some guests picked up that the wine initially showed a reductive profile, with gun flint and slightly rubbery notes that are characteristic of long aged large formats; the so-called magnum effect. As this dissipated, what emerged not something cloying, but a beautifully resolved finish. A Champagne of richness, silkiness and generosity, with Lanson’s hallmark freshness still holding everything in place.

Guests were encouraged to retain some wine in the glass and return to it over the following thirty minutes, observing how the aromas and flavours continued to evolve. This progression underlined the quality of the wine and the value of patience with bottles of this nature.

In essence, this is a wine that was originally designed for celebration, yet has become something altogether more special through time.

The presentation concluded with a toast to serendipity, to the idea that some of the finest cuvées are those that never followed the plan, and to the simple truth that what was once the loss of the German market has become very much the gain of those present in London that evening.

Santé à vous, and for one evening, perhaps simply Prost.