Get your little black book

(by susie)

Being a devotee of all things fizzy, golden and expensive, I was intrigued to see Champagne Lanson’s recently launched publication: The Little Black Book of Champagne.

OK, so in essence it’s a PR exercise as part of Lanson’s 250th anniversary celebrations, but it’s also quite a fun little book, with bits on Champagne Etiquette (eg turn the bottle, not the cork, when opening), the most expensive Champagne in the world (a bottle of 1928 Krug sold in Hong Kong, apparently) and various other stories, styles and rules.

Most importantly, for a limited time, it’s available free to any and all comers. Just click here to go through to a dedicated website, sign up, and hey presto: you’re the new owner of a little black book.

While we’re on the subject of Lanson, we can confirm the following:

• It ages very well. Recently we were lucky enough to try a magnum of the 1976 – a hot year – which had aged beautifully, and still going strong. This may be partly to do with Lanson’s house policy of not pursuing malolactic fermentation – which essentially means the wine has higher natural acidity. So more acidic when young, but better equipped to age (in theory).
• If you get a chance to taste Lanson’s new zero dosage style, please do. It’s excellent.