Champagne Bernard Lonclas

Champagne Lonclas: Exceptional Blanc de Blancs in Bassuet, the soul of Champagne since 1976

Born to the sound of a popping cork
Some stories begin before we can even remember them. Bernard Lonclas’ story starts with a pop, followed by the fizz of bubbles against crystal, and laughter. His birth, celebrated with champagne, in a family home surrounded by vineyards. The green of the vines, the bluish-purple of black grapes, the silvery reflections of Chardonnay, his first colors. His first certainties.
“More than a profession, it’s a vocation, almost a calling.”
Since 1976, Bernard Lonclas has been cultivating, vinifying, and passing on this passion in Bassuet, a typical village of the Vitryat slopes, in that part of Champagne where limestone soils bring out the finest expression of Chardonnay. Today, his daughters Aurélie and Mathilde follow in his footsteps, carrying forward with dedication and precision the spirit of a house that has never tried to resemble any other.

A terroir of choice for Chardonnay

Bassuet is not just any village in Champagne. Its slopes offer soils particularly suited to Chardonnay, the house’s signature grape, representing 85% of the vineyard. Pinot Meunier (10%) and Pinot Noir (5%) complement the blend discreetly, adding structure and roundness without ever taking over.
This dominance of Chardonnay explains the house’s reputation: Blanc de Blancs of remarkable finesse and aromatic richness, among the most distinctive expressions of family Champagne.

The vineyard, crafted with artisan precision

At Lonclas, quality begins long before the cellar. It is built gesture by gesture throughout the year.
Chablis pruning, carried out in winter, never during frost, regulates the vigor of each vine by carefully selecting the buds that will bear fruit. A noble and demanding practice that directly influences the quality of the upcoming vintage.
Tying (February to April) guides the structure for optimal sunlight and airflow. Lifting (May to June) directs growth toward the light, during peak periods, shoots can grow several centimeters per day. Trellising (June) refines the exposure of the grapes, while trimming (July to August) controls summer growth over four passes, sometimes with a final manual cut to perfect aeration before harvest.

Harvest: 25 workers, ten days of intensity

In Champagne, harvesting is strictly manual. Maison Lonclas mobilizes more than 25 seasonal workers for 9 to 10 days, typically in the second half of September, about 90 days after flowering. Each cluster goes directly to the press in small crates of no more than 50 kg, preserving the integrity of the juice even before pressing.

From pressing to blending: the art of losing nothing

All vineyards are located within 10 kilometers of the press, a deliberate choice to limit juice loss and preserve aromatic freshness. Pressing is carried out using traditional vertical wooden presses and Coquard presses approved by the C.I.V.C.: from each 4,000 kg marc, 2,550 liters of must are extracted, the first 2,050 liters form the cuvée, the remaining 500 liters the taille.
A few months after harvest comes blending, a solemn moment that Bernard and Aurélie Lonclas experience almost as a ritual. Multiple tastings, discussions, shared sensations. From this collective work emerges the subtlety that defines the Lonclas style, consistent in quality, unique in expression.

From cellar to table: patience and precision

After bottling, the bottles rest on slats in the cellar, in darkness and cool conditions. Manual riddling on traditional racks lasts at least four weeks: Bernard turns and tilts each bottle daily to guide the sediment toward the neck, a gesture repeated thousands of times, with the precision of a watchmaker.
Disgorgement then removes this sediment by freezing the neck. The bottle is dosed with liqueur d’expédition to achieve Brut, Extra Brut, or Demi-Sec. Then comes labeling, corking. The bottle is ready.
It is now waiting for just one thing: your table.

The range: seven cuvées, one standard of excellence

CuvéeStyleBrutThe entry cuvée, balance, freshness, convivialityRoséElegant red fruit expression, delicate blendingCuvée PrestigeThe house expertise at its fullest expressionVintageThe memory of a great yearBlanc de Blancs100% Chardonnay, the Lonclas signatureBlanc de Blancs Extra BrutMineral tension, absolute purityBlanc de Blancs Grand BrutGenerosity and aromatic depth

FAQ: Champagne Lonclas and its wines

Where is Maison Lonclas located ?
In Bassuet, on the Vitryat slopes, at the heart of family Champagne.

What is the estate’s signature grape ?
Chardonnay, representing 85% of the vineyard, gives Lonclas wines their finesse, minerality, and freshness.

Are the harvests manual ?
Yes, as required by the Champagne appellation. More than 25 workers harvest for 9 to 10 days using small 50 kg crates to preserve grape integrity.

How long do the champagnes age ?
At least 15 months on lees for non-vintage champagnes, and 3 years for vintage cuvées.

What makes Lonclas Blanc de Blancs unique ?
Its expression comes directly from the limestone terroir of Bassuet and a carefully controlled blend crafted each year by Bernard and Aurélie Lonclas, ensuring a consistent and recognizable style.

Which champagne should you choose for food pairing ?
Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut for seafood and delicate fish, Cuvée Prestige for white meats, and Vintage for special occasions.

Why does a Blanc de Blancs Champagne made from 85% Chardonnay on the Vitryat slopes of Bassuet, with manual riddling on racks, artisanal blending carried out each year by the same family since 1976, and pressing using C.I.V.C.-approved Coquard presses,develop an aromatic finesse and length on the palate that large Champagne houses cannot replicate identically ?

At Bernard, Aurélie, and Mathilde Lonclas, the answer is in every bubble, and in every gesture passed down for nearly fifty years.