Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle Brut Champagne NV 75 cl

Product Information

The name chosen by Bernard de Nonancourt, upon the advice of Général de Gaulle, for Champagne Laurent-Perrier’s prestige cuvee, launched in 1959. Laurent-Perrier has declared just 29 vintages between 1950 and 2008, while 45 have been declared within the Champagne region. Originally seen as a constraint in being a solution to the issue of inconsistent vintages, Grand Siècle is the Champagne house’s attempt to highlight the quality potential of blended wines using highly selective parcels and only the best vintages. Just a hint of reductive charm and there is real intensity to the fruit; rich & ripe lemon sherbet, ripe pear, yellow plum and a twist of dried grass. You really see the Chardonnay dominance, 60% and the red fruits are currently quite subdued. The palate is a mix of racy freshness from the acidity and soft texture from its long time on the lees and such lightness and delicacy to finish with a twist of salinity and dosage at 7 g/l seems perfectly integrated. Like many 2008’s this has great purity to the fruit. 65% 2008, 25% 2007 & 10% 2006” Released to market this year, Iteration No. 25 is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. Grapes were chosen from nine Grand Crus over three vintages: 2008 (65%), 2007 (25%) and 2006 (10%). It is aged on the lees for 12 years.

Grand Siècle | Champagne Laurent-Perrier

She explained: “Grand Siècle is named after one of the most influential periods in French history – the Great Century – when Louis XIV at Versailles had the vision of how to sublimate nature to create something exceptional – the most illustrative examples being the gardens and fountains.

A blend of grape varieties, Chardonnay in the majority and also Pinot Noir. A blend of Grands Crus. A blend of three exceptional years with complementary oenological profiles. Going well beyond rare vintages, Grand Siècle recreates the perfect year with each new iteration. Laurent-Perrier has, since 1959, launched 24 iterations of Grand Siècle, which perpetuates this wine’s unique style in Champagne each time. The Grand Siècle concept was born in 1953 by Laurent-Perrier’s charismatic owner Bernard de Nonancourt who wanted to produce the ‘perfect vintage champagne’, knowing a single year was unlikely to provide that, he blended three great vintages, allowing the creation of his ‘perfect vintage’. The Iteration series is blended from grapes sourced from 11 of the 17 Grand Cru villages in Champagne.

Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle No.26 Champagne : The Whisky

He was looking at what the others were doing. It was the beginning of the new prestige cuvée trend; these wines were based on only one vintage. So he thought these wines were great, but he was very innovative in his heart. He believed that if he made a cuvée like everyone else, he would not bring forth anything different. So he said, ‘in Champagne, we are already good at blending, blending different parcels together, different Grand Cru, but nobody has tried different vintages, exceptional vintages.’ So that’s what we went for.”The 25th iteration of Laurent-Perrier’s de luxe cuvée, always a blend of different vintages in their quest to make the perfect champagne. Deep gold with the tiniest bead. Very pungently aromatic and with a texture as smooth as silk. Utterly luxurious. Slides over the palate with an undertow of surprisingly ripe Chardonnay. I’d drink this with a sophisticated fish dish, perhaps with a rich sauce. I love the gentlest of explosions on the palate. Surely this has a lower-than-average pressure? Very long. But it is not recommended for those who like their champagne on the austere side. This is to be launched in late 2021 but it tastes as though it was already gorgeous in 2020.”