Laurent-Perrier Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle NV 750ml

This is really something. Electric on the palate. The aromas are so complex with sliced fresh and dried ginger, subtle pie crust, tarte tatin and hints of nutmeg with some salted caramel. Toasted bread, too. Always subtle. The palate is full- to medium-bodied yet hemmed-in with a freshness and balance that draws you back. Savory and vibrant. It's full of energy. Spectacular. Fascinating. Symphonic blend of 2012, 2008 and 2007. 65% of the 2012, 25% of the 2008 and 10% of the 2007. Eight grand cru. Chardonnay 58% and 42% pinot noir. Disgorged February 2023. 10 years on the lees. 7g/L dosage. Drink or hold.

Eight different Grand Crus contributed to the blend of the bright straw-colored NV Champagne Grand Siècle Grande Cuvée 26 Brut (65% from 2012, 25% from 2008, and the rest from 2007). The nose offers notes of fresh bread dough, orange blossoms, fresh apples, and a hint of peach. Medium-bodied, the palate comes to life, filling with wonderful, pure notes of fleshy ripe fruit, a supple texture, and lots of length on the finish. It needs time initially to open in the glass, but as it opens it really starts to show its pedigree. It’s a very impressive wine to drink over the coming 2-3 decades. Released in January 2024. 7 grams per liter of dosage.

Tautly textured, the Champagne is delicious with a poise between white and citrus fruits along with touches of maturity coming through. Drink this magnificent wine now for its great balance and intensity.

The NV Brut Grand Siècle #26 is a stunning Champagne, revealing a complex, dense bouquet of confit citrus, white peach, white flowers, honey, beeswax and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, enveloping and layered, it has a deep, fleshy core of fruit, bright acids, a vinous texture and broad shoulders, segueing into a long, mineral and delicately saline finish. Chardonnay remains the majority, making up 58% of the blend (sourced mainly from Le Mesnil), while Pinot Noir, primarily from Tours-sur-Marne, comprises 42%. This is a blend of the 2012 (65%), 2008 (25%) and 2007 (10%) vintages and was disgorged with a dosage of seven grams per liter.

A graceful Champagne, with flavors of boysenberry and black cherry fruit, toast, blanched almond and grapefruit pith, graphite and fleur de sel gliding across the satiny mousse. Reveals racy acidity that sculpts fine definition, allowing the detailed profile to expand on the palate, while minerally hints of chalk and oyster shell linger on the finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2030.

A subtle version, focused more on delicate acidity and texture than the finely layered flavors of creamed apple, marzipan, pastry dough and black currant, with hints of lemon curd and ground spice. Delivers a lasting, smoke-tinged finish. Drink now through 2020. 300 cases imported.

Bright yellow-gold. A heady, mineral-tinged bouquet evokes dried pear, buttery brioche, lemon curd and anise, plus a smoky topnote. Chewy and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated orchard and pit fruit flavors and a touch of bitter quinine. The smoky note repeats on the finish, which shows impressive clarity and mineral-driven persistence.