Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne Grand Siècle No. 26

JS100 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.
OB97 The ‘Grand Siecle’ No. 26 is an incredible wine that mostly was sourced from the 2012 vintage. The wine combines 60% Chardonnay with the remainder Pinot Noir, this was sourced from a selection of 9 Grand Cru Vineyards. Biscuit and marzipan notes mark the nose alongside salted green apple and kumquat notes. The palate shows beautiful weight and tension as its silky mousse really makes this glide throughout the drinking experience. Lifted ginger and orange blossom tones combine with the fantastic core of sourdough bread, Gravenstein apple, and cantaloupe flavors. The concentration and verve suggests this will live on for another fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2023-2038- (Owne Bargreen)
WA96 A blend of the 2012, 2008 and 2007 vintages, the NV Brut Grand Siècle #26 won’t be released for another four or five years, but there is a great deal to anticipate, as it’s a stunning young wine in the making. Unfurling in the glass with scents of crisp nectarine, pear and honeyed citrus fruit that mingle with notions of fresh mint, blanched almonds and iodine, the wine is full-bodied, concentrated and tightly wound, with broad structural shoulders, tangy acids and a long, intense finish. It’s a great Grand Siècle in the making.
DEC96 This iteration of Grand Siècle is almost entirely composed of two of Champagne’s greatest recent vintages, so expectations are high. The wine more than meets them, tempering the generosity of 2012’s fruit – ripe apricots, white peach, clementines and sunny, zesty citrus – with a pitch-perfect streak of 2008 tautness and structure. There are some fleshy, creamy notes of papaya and toasted white sourdough, but everything is as delicately rendered as expected and impeccably shaped, with a sleek, silky mousse. A little more approachable than Itération No. 25, it will welcome extended bottle age rather than demand it.
Estate Notes: 58% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir 100% Grand Cru. Vintages: 2012, 2008, 2007.
Vintages in Champagne are synonymous with excellence despite significant variations in style, expression, and quality from one to another. Grand Siècle seeks a perfection beyond single vintages, with the ambition of recreating “the perfect year”, one nature on its own cannot provide. This approach makes us different from our peers. Because of our difference, it has taken us more time, effort, perseverance, and a strong belief in our vision to become recognized for what we do.