Food & Drink -- 9 days ago
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle: A vision of the perfect year
Laurent-Perrier harnesses the art of assemblage in order to produce its prestige cuvée, Grand Siècle, which combines complexity and freshness
Laurent-Perrier harnesses the art of assemblage in order to produce its prestige cuvée, Grand Siècle, which combines complexity and freshness
In the world of Champagne, the term ‘vintage’ has become synonymous with excellence. Prestige cuvées are generally considered those that are produced from the finest singular years, representing the pinnacle of perfection. But the reality is that nature can never provide the perfect oenological year. There are simply too many uncontrollable factors.
Keenly aware of this inevitability, Bernard de Nonancourt set out to challenge the capabilities of nature, by creating his “vision of the perfect year”. When de Nonancourt inherited the House of Laurent-Perrier from his mother in 1948, he got straight to work, trialling various blends of vintages in order to produce the ultimate cuvée and position Laurent-Perrier at the highest possible level.
It was through the art of assemblage that de Nonancourt realised he could bring together the characteristics and styles of specific vintages, using their complementary expressions in order to create the perfection he had for so long dreamed of. In 1959, Grand Siècle was born, the first release a blend of wine from the 1952, 1953 and 1955 vintages.
Since 1959, Grand Siècle has been revealed only 26 times in bottle format and 23 times in magnum. Each iteration, a blend of three vintages, is a recreation of de Nonancourt’s “perfect year”. One vintage is chosen for structure, one for finesse and one for freshness, resulting in a unique combination of power and balance from the finest wines of the finest years. Establishing the correct combination of vintages is a painstaking process of trial and error, which explains the rarity and uniqueness of Grand Siècle iterations.
In order to reach the ultimate expression, certain principles are immutable. There’s the careful combination of three exceptional years; the use of mostly Chardonnay grapes complemented by Pinot Noir sourced exclusively from a maximum of 11 Grand Crus within the Champagne region; and a minimum requirement of 10 years ageing on lees in Laurent-Perrier’s cellars (longer for magnums, thus delaying their release by a few years). These stringent requirements result in ultimate harmony and aromatic complexity. Perfection cannot be rushed.
De Nonancourt, a pioneer in the world of Champagne, looked to the past to inform the Maison’s trailblazing trajectory. The name “Grand Siècle” was chosen for its reference to the eponymous 17th century – one of the most prosperous periods in French history, renowned for the human innovation that flourished in that time. Louis XIV, referred to as the “Sun King” was the architect of this model of harmony, balance and perfection, playing a significant role in the creation of the Palace of Versailles, which symbolised the culmination of the Grand Siècle.
The Château de Louvois, which boasts some of the finest gardens of 17th Century France
Laurent-Perrier’s quest for nature-transcending perfection mirrors the meticulous artistry afforded to Versailles and its gardens in the 17th century. The symmetry of the Jardins à la Française, the capacity to grow Mediterranean fruits (most notably oranges inside the Orangerie) in such a northern climate, the design of fountains and ponds with no nearby rivers – each innovation showcases humankind’s incredible ability to sublimate natural elements.
The Maison of Laurent-Perrier is currently on its award-winning Grand Siècle Iteration No26, which represents the assemblage of the vintage years 2012, 2008 and 2007. The result of such meticulous blending is a complex combination of sensory characteristics, with a silky and mineral palate and notes of honeysuckle, flaked almonds and clementine. The expression, designed to age beautifully, contains past, present and future in a single bottle, lending it a higher level of esteem than any singular vintage.
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