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Champagne Laurent-Perrier launches Grand Siècle Iteration No. 26

02 October 2023 By Eloise Feilden

Family-owned Champagne house Laurent-Perrier has announced the latest release of Prestige Cuvée Grand Siècle Iteration No. 26.

Champagne Laurent-Perrier has launched Grand Siècle Iteration No. 26, a cuvée designed to offer “what nature can never provide”, according to the maison.

Grand Siècle was created in 1959 under Bernard de Nonancourt’s leadership, bringing something new to the Prestige Cuvée category. He found that even an exceptional vintage failed to reach the perfection he was looking for. Contrarily, he believed that only through the ‘art of assemblage’ was it possible to create the perfect year.

Each iteration of Grand Siècle is a blend of three exceptional years that are complementary in character. Champagne Laurent-Perrier has declared just 30 vintages between 1950 and 2012 and for this reason, only 26 ‘iterations’ have been produced since the first Grand Siècle release in 1959.

Grand Siècle is majority Chardonnay supplemented by Pinot Noir, selected from a maximum eight of the 17 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Grands Crus.

It is aged on its lees in the cellars for more than ten years before being disgorged.

Iteration No. 26 is a blend of 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir. Grapes are chosen from the vintages of 2012 (65%), 2008 (25%) and 2007 (10%), 8 Grand Crus and aged on lees for ten years, culminating in its characteristic freshness, structure and complexity.

In 2012, winter and spring frosts had an impact on yields, which were moderate. The dry, sunny summer produced wines of great finesse with elegant and balanced Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs with red fruit aromas.

The 2008 vintage resulted in a well-structured wine with high-quality Chardonnays and Pinots Noirs revealing exceptional aromatic richness.

2007 had a warm spring, the effects of which were mitigated by a mixed summer, revealing straightforward wines with a beautiful freshness that will keep over time, with Chardonnays having complex aromas of white and citrus fruits and Pinots Noirs with aromas of yellow fruits.

The RRP: Iteration No. 26 is available to purchase from select independent fine wine merchants including Berry Bros & Rudd with a retail price of £200 from October 2023.

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