Lanson Champagne Brut Gold Label 2008

Smoke and marzipan notes are layered with baked currant and lemon curd flavors in this lively Champagne, with a creamy mousse. Balanced and accessible, showing spice and toast accents on the clean-cut finish. 

Quite pure grilled almonds and lemons, dried cherries and almost curry-like spices, plus chalky minerals and stony savory notes. The palate has a fine, even and balanced shape. Lemon citrus, pear and apple flavors run amid nicely phrased acidity.

This has seen more than six years of ageing in the cellar and has attractive concentration and nicely played complexity. The nose is as fresh as you'd expect from Lanson with all yellow grapefruit and lemon but some pastry too. The palate, meanwhile, has a refreshing sweep of acid-driven, lemon fruit and is super pure, fresh and long.