For my 43rd birthday I was able organize a tasting I’ve wanted to do for a decade. What I consider to be one of the great wines of the world, the ‘Grand Siecle’ is Laurent Perrier’s tête de cuvée which is blended from a host of vintages and also crafted from only grand cru vineyards. Established in 1812, Laurent Perrier is located in the heart of Champagne, in Tours-sur-Marne. Vines are set on limestone soil, highly chalky and showing the distinctiveness of the region. The chalk subsoil holds sufficient water, during dry spells and due its porous nature also provides good drainage when it is wet to prevent roots of becoming water logged, acting a bit like a sponge.
For my tasting I procured editions 23, 24 and 25 of this wine. I had tasted the 22nd edition in November 2022 and sadly the bottle did not show particularly well. The new edition, the 25 (OB, 97) is truly a thing of beauty. In this Grand Siecle 25 ed. chef du cave Michel Fauconnet has blended wines from the 2008, 2007, and 2006 vintages. This wine is truly one of the finest tête de cuvée champagnes in the world. The wine also needs about 40 minutes of air to really come into its own. Almost as good was the Grand Siecle 23 ed. (OB, 96) which was sourced from the 2006 (65%), 2004 (20%), and 2002 (15%) vintages. Mainly Chardonnay (58%) with the reminder Pinot Noir, this is a utterly fantastic wine right now, as it tapered off in terms of finesse after about an hour. Plump and ripe, this really shows off the fleshy character of the 2006 vintage in Champagne. A step back but still outstanding was the Grand Siecle 24 ed. (OB, 94) which was laden with finesse and stony character. A blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir from 100% Grand Cru vineyards this utilizes a base of the 2007 vintage as well as wines from the 2006, and 2004 vintages. Learn more about this historic Champagne house at http://www.laurent-perrier.com/en/the-wines/ and here are my reviews of the 23-25 editions of ‘Grand Siecle.’
Laurent Perrier ‘Grand Siecle No. 25’ Champagne- The ‘Grand Siecle’ No.25 is mostly from the 2008 vintage (65%) with smaller parts from the 2007 (25%) and 2006 (10%). A blend of 60% Chardonnay with the remainder Pinot Noir, this comes from a selection of 9 Grand Cru Vineyards. The nose is wonderfully complex with lemon zest dusted biscuit and shades of kumquat blossom and salted cashew. The palate is deep and concentrated with plenty of weight and finesse. Gorgeous now, this will easily age for another fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2022-2038- 97
Laurent Perrier ‘Grand Siecle No. 24’ Champagne- Outstanding but a step back from the 23 and 25 eds., the ‘Grand Siecle No. 24.’ utilizes the 2007 vintage as the base, with wines also coming from the 2006 and 2004 vintages. It comes off very stony and laden with finesse once on the mouth. Ginger and marzipan notes combine with shades of Gravenstein apple and quince on the palate. A delight to enjoy now with its laser freshness, I can see this easily cellaring for another ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 94
Laurent Perrier ‘Grand Siecle No. 23’ Champagne- One of the stars of this tasting, the Laurent Perrier ‘Grand Siecle No. 23’ Champagne is a simply marvelous effort at now several years since release. This edition was mainly sourced from the warm 2006 vintage (65%) as well as the 2004 and 2002 vintages. It is wonderfully fleshy and rich once on the mouth with a silky mousse. Layers of honey dusted brioche and yellow plum combine with Pink Lady apple notes alongside notes of white truffle on the palate. This is one to consume now, as the finesse seems to slow down rather quickly after opening. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next five years. Drink 2023-2028- 96