It was for the fourth time in two years that we found ourselves pulling into Laurent-Perrier’s trim courtyard in Tours-sur-Marne earlier this summer. The drive from Reims takes about 30 minutes and the scenic route south passes through some of the Montagne de Reims’ most famous destinations: Ludes, Mailly, Louvois and Bouzy, to name a few.
By the time we’d reached the gilded gates of LP and traversed the cool, dark, stainless-steel-tank-lined corridor that connects the ancient staircase with the modern, if somewhat sterile, all-metallic tasting room, even 8:30am somehow didn’t seem too early for a glass or two of bubbly.
Luckily, the ever-accommodating Laurent-Perrier team had prepared a whopper of a morning tasting. Supported by group chairman Stéphane Dalyac and UK managing director David Hesketh MW, soon-to-retire chef de cave Michel Fauconnet talked us through some of the many changes currently in motion at this 200-year-old house.
First up was the new champagne, Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV, which we reported on in depth last month. A tribute to Laurent-Perrier’s long-standing relationship with, and fondness for, Champagne’s dominant white grape varietal, this all-Chardonnay blend has been a long time in the making.
The idea spawned in 2004, when the house purchased a sizeable holding of land in the prized Côte des Blancs region, significantly increasing their access to high-quality Chardonnay grapes. After redefining their brut non-vintage by upping the Chardonnay content, they realised they had enough to bolster their already impressive portfolio with a Blanc de Blancs.
The first creation is based on 2012, with 40% reserve wine coming primarily from the ripe 2009 vintage – presumably a result of their decision not to make a Laurent-Perrier Vintage 2009, which, according to Fauconnet, was “not our style… but it works well for a non dosé wine.” Sold in the same iconic bottle shape for which their Cuvée Rosé is so well-known, Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV is an impressive tipple, a miniature Grand Siècle (which is of course predominantly Chardonnay), that is even more elegant and refined from magnum.
The other development in a transformative year for Laurent-Perrier is more straightforward: information. Their prestige cuvée Grand Siècle MV, is a little different to others. Always a blend of three vintages, until now it has been difficult to ascertain which vintages are inside a bottle without knowing how to decode its lot number.
Henceforth, Grand Siècle will be released and numbered as an Iteration, with the corresponding number displayed on the neck of the bottle. A flash new website, GrandSiecle.com, can then be used to reveal the secrets of each individual creation, including the vintages and crus that make up the blend. To demonstrate the new system, we were shown the current bottle release, Iteration 24, the current magnum release, Iteration 22, and an example from the 90s, Iteration 17.
Their prestigious rosé champagnes also got a look in. Cuvée Rosé NV, already the best-selling rosé champagne and apparently “experiencing the best [sales] growth”, is a real feast of Montagne de Reims Pinot Noir. Local village Tours-sur-Marne, as well as Ambonnay, Aÿ, Bouzy, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Mailly, Rilly, Verzenay and Verzy all contribute grapes to the blend. It is of course famously made by fermenting the Pinot Noir grapes with the juice, although we were told the maceration process is controlled by aromatics, which “decide when the maceration stops… the colour is a resulting by-product, not the focus.”
The final – and perhaps biggest – change, is that of personnel. Retiring chef de cave Michel Fauconnet, who has worked at Laurent-Perrier for an incredible 46 years, will pass the torch to ex-Veuve Clicquot cellar master Dominique Demarville at the end of 2019. It will be interesting to see how their champagnes develop under his leadership; they are totally different houses, separated, literally and metaphorically, by the length of the Montagne de Reims.
It really is all happening at Laurent-Perrier, and refreshingly so. A few years ago, one couldn’t help but feel that this large house, so steeped in pageantry and tradition, was in need of a major shake-up. As David Hesketh noted, with a hint of wry humour but mostly delight, “you wait for new things and then they all come along at once.”
Laurent-Perrier Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV | 17/20 100% CH | Base Vintage: 2012 | Reserve Wine: 40% | Lees Ageing: 5 Years | Disgorged: December 2018 | Dosage: 0 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 6 Months Has that slightly more open nose than last time, seeing more of the terroir and soil character with that distinct chalkiness and then the fruits; lots of pineapple and ripe apples and on the palate the lees richness now seems more apparent. |
Laurent-Perrier Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV Magnum | 17.5+/20 100% CH | Base Vintage: 2012 | Reserve Wine: 40% | Lees Ageing: 5 Years | Disgorged: December 2018 | Dosage: 0 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 6 Months Magnum signature with that smoky hint on the nose and can see the differences from the bottle; more tension and has more youthful fruits and a fatter texture which almost makes you think there is some sweetness, but the magnum effect is giving it much more roundness and spice. Going back the pineapple and the ripe pear are more forward. I went back and re-tasted after the GS and the no dosage is evident, but there is still enough ripeness for it not to stand out or shock your palate too much. |
Laurent-Perrier Vintage 2008 | 17.5+/20 50% CH, 50% PN | Lees Ageing: 9 Years | Disgorged: June 2018 | Dosage: 8 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 1 Year Chalk is really prominent at this time, then you see the fruits like ripe apples and hints of pineapple and some tropical notes of peaches and that lightness and minerality. The CH seems to be the dominant fruit character at present, some red fruits but in hiding for now. The texture is very soft and round from the ten years lees ageing. Re-visiting the glass later you see some bitter lemon peel that is rather attractive and loads of tangerine. Drink now for next 10+ years. |
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Iteration 24 MV | 17.5+/20 55% CH, 45% PN | Vintages: 2007 (60%), 2006 (20%), 2004 (20%) | Lees Ageing: 10 Years | Disgorged: October 2018 | Dosage: 7 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 8 Months Strong bright shimmering gold and the initial aromas have a salty/seaside character, then bundles of yellow fruits and has the ripe pear and spicy apples on the palate. Going back you get loads of ripe tropical fruits, especially pineapple and hints of pastry. Drink now for 5+ years. |
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Iteration 22 MV | 17.5/20 55% CH, 45% PN | Vintages: 2004 (55%), 2002 (30%), 1999 (15%) | Lees Ageing: 12 Years | Disgorged: December 2017 | Dosage: 7 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 2 Years Has some development of the apple fruit with some pastry hints and lots of lime, yellow fruit and pear, apple and lemon. The lees richness really shows on the palate with hints of honey and underlying minerality keeping it fresh. Drink now for 5+ years. |
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Iteration 22 MV Magnum | 18.5/20 55% CH, 45% PN | Vintages: 2004 (55%), 2002 (30%), 1999 (15%) | Lees Ageing: 13 Years | Disgorged: July 2018 | Dosage: 7 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 11 Months Initial impressions are the smoky hints, the magnum effect and bundles of ripe yellow fruits and hints of gooseberry. Has a lightness on the palate, really delicate and some saltiness to the yellow plums, apples and pears and has some iodine and really light and fresh. Going back it has some more elements going on, the palate seems very rich with lees texture and an almost lightness and velvety texture. Hint spicy with a slight salty finish. Very Fine. Drink now for 15 years. |
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Iteration 17 MV Magnum | 19.5/20 55% CH, 45% PN | Vintages: 1995 (60%), 1993 (20%), 1990 (20%) | Lees Ageing: 20 Years | Disgorged: October 2016 | Dosage: 7 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 3 Years Has that nose of lime and hints of smokiness and some of those dried fruits combining with dried lemon peel and hints of tangerine, ripe pear and cashew nuts. Has a freshness and concentration and has that finish that is salinity that lifts up at the end. A very refined and big champagne with lightness and delicacy. |
Laurent-Perrier Rosé NV | 17+/20 100% PN | Base Vintage: 2013 | Reserve Wine: 15% | Lees Ageing: 4 Years | Disgorged: October 2018 | Dosage: 9 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 8 Months Beautiful strawberry colour, very pretty fruits and so much black cherry fruits. The alate has a rich and round feel, very good. |
Laurent-Perrier Rosé NV Magnum | 17.5+/20 100% PN | Base Vintage: 2013 | Reserve Wine: 15% | Lees Ageing: 4 Years | Disgorged: October 2018 | Dosage: 9 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 8 Months Quite different nose, has more reductive smoky notes and a creamy character to the red fruits. Lots of cherry and strawberry and the texture is round. Has a lightness and the black fruits are more dominant than the bottle which is more red fruit driven. |
Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé 2004 | 17.5+/20 80% PN, 20% CH | Lees Ageing: 12 Years | Disgorged: December 2017 | Dosage: 7 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 18 Months LPR is very strawberry, this is a more apricot rosé, so some hints of orange to the pink. CH seems to be more forward at the moment and has a texture from lees giving a round and rich texture and the red fruits come forward first with layers of redcurrant and raspberry and then it builds with some pastry character. Going back the darker fruits are coming out, blackcurrant and black cherry. Drink now for 10 years. |
Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé 2004 Magnum | 18.5+/20 80% PN, 20% CH | Lees Ageing: 12 Years | Disgorged: December 2017 | Dosage: 7 g/l | Post-Disgorgement Ageing: 18 Months Has a hint of smoky character and then you see bundles of dark red fruits and black cherry and a very fine texture with dried fruits like raspberries and cherry. Quite different as the more youthful characters are very charming. Drink now for 15+ years. |