Philippe Lancelot / Y. Lancelot-Wanner

Cramant, Côte des Blancs, Champagne, France

Philippe Lancelot is a winemaker who is coming into his own. His family Domaine, Y. Lancelot-Wanner, was first established in 1961 by his grandfather. Philippe’s parents, Yves and Françoise, who had each inherited some vines around Cramant, in Chouilly, Oiry and Avize, as well as in Epernay and Aÿ, took over in 1974. Philippe, who was born in 1980, took over in 2008, after studying viniculture and enology at school in Avize. He is now making Champagne under his own eponymous label as well the family label, Y. Lancelot Wanner. Philippe first became attracted to organic and biodynamic vineyard work after tasting wines from the 1995 vintage from Fleury in the Cotes de Bar. He felt that the wines had an added energy that he hadn’t encountered in other Champagnes. With the advice of Hervé Jestin of Champagne Leclerc Briant, who he considers his spiritual father, and the assistance of Johann Gruson, a soil specialist, Philippe began converting his vineyards to biodynamics in 2012.

Philippe has now fully embraced biodynamic principles, utilizing 500 and 501 preparations, along with essential oils (orange, lemon, etc.) and natural plant applications of comfrey, dandelion, stinging nettle, etc. to treat his vines. In some years, (eg. 2020 & 2021) he has even managed to eliminate copper sulfate treatments from the vineyard and reduce the use of sulfur in his winemaking. The Maria Thun lunar calendar guides his work in the vineyard and in the cellar. The purpose of all of this is to promote auto-immunity in the vines and bring out the best of each vintage. Philippe’s goal is to create vintages with their own identity that speak of individual parcels year after year; wines with balance that require little or no dosage when bottling. His motto is “nature is well done, surely there is nothing better.” This micro-production Champagne house is a name to watch.

Follow this link for a short video of Philippe creating his biodynamic preparations.

Our Selections

Y. Lancelot-Wanner Champagne Brut Reserve Grand Cru Cramant NV

This distinct label is the family Champagne of Philippe Lancelot. 100% Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards of chalk and clay soils around Cramant. The base wine is 60% 2017 vintage while the reserve wine is a blend of 2014, 2015 and 2016. Philippe uses a mixture of organic fruit from his 4 ha of vineyards near Cramant as well as some purchased fruit from nearby Grand Cru vineyards. Fermented in a mixture of stainless steel, barrels of varying sizes and even glass demijohns, this wine was disgorged in November, 2021, after more than three years on the lees. 5.5 g/l dosage. 12% Alc.

Philippe Lancelot Champagne Les Bas de Saran Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Grand Cru 2014

All Chardonnay from tiny plots totaling only .80 ha from the most beautiful terroirs of the Côte des Blancs. In Chouilly, the single vineyard 'Le Fond du Bateau', planted in 1971 and 1998, in Cramant, the 'Le Bateau' planted in 1987, and in Oiry, the 'Broque Aux Pierres' and 'Sur Les Gros Monts', planted in 1984 and 1965 respectively. These four east-facing vineyards are situated below the famous Saran castle and the Montaigu hunting lodge and feature deep chalk soils originating in the late cretaceous age. Direct press with an old-fashioned basket press. Fermented in a combination of stainless steel and barrel and aged nine months before bottling. Aged five years in bottle before being disgorged in November 2020. This is a stunning Champagne. Imagine a deep, chalky Grand Cru Chablis with bubbles.

Only .7 g/l dosage. 12% alc. No SO2 added. Demeter Certified. 3,561 individually numbered bottles.

Philippe Lancelot Champagne Brut Grand Cru Cramant 2015

100% Chardonnay from vines planted in 1951 and 1989 consisting entirely of the 2015 vintage. Philippe utilizes multiple tiny lieu-dit vineyards in Cramant totaling only 1.25ha that feature deep chalky soils and marl. The vineyards are Les Basses Croix, Les Porgeons, Les Fourches du Levant, Les Champs du Prevot, Les Hautes Bauves, Les Hautes Bauves Vieille, Les Moyens du Levant, and Le Bateau. Direct press with an old-fashioned basket press. Fermented in stainless steel and barrel, then kept for nine months before bottling. Aged an additional five years in bottle before disgorgement in April, 2021. Only 1.44 g/l dosage. 12% Alc. Biodynamic.