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Champagne AR Lenoble: Producer profile

Decanter’s Steven Spurrier was a fan of this dynamic Champagne house. Yohan Castaing traces its history, introduces the range and the philosophy behind it.

In his memoirs Wine, A Way of Life, the late Steven Spurrier, Decanter’s long-time consultant editor, reminisced about serving a Champagne from AR Lenoble at his wedding to wife Bella in 1968.

A couple of years previously, he recalls, he had been on a buying trip to Champagne and Alsace. ‘In Champagne we visited Lenoble, whose owner took us to the Reims Grand Prix. I liked the style of the Lenoble Champagne a lot, and it was served at my wedding a couple of years later.’ 

Fast forward to today, and Anne Malassagne, current owner with her brother Antoine of the small, family-owned Champagne house AR Lenoble, views the 100th anniversary of its founding last year in 2020 as ‘marking the end of a roadmap that I chose to follow when I arrived in 1993.’

Her firm intention from the outset, she added, was to restore the lustre of this house’s brand reputation. 


Scroll down for Yohan Castaing’s Champagne AR Lenoble tasting notes and scores


The early days

The house’s origins go back to 1915 when Armand-Raphäel Graser, who had dreamed of becoming a doctor, began his activities in Champagne production as a broker. However, he soon founded his own house, initially named Champagne Graser, but quickly rebaptised as AR Lenoble (A R for his initials, Lenoble in homage to the noble character of Champagne). 

See the Champagne AR Lenoble tasting notes and scores

The AR Lenoble Champagnes are distributed in the UK via Ellis Wines and Stannary Wine.


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