Laurent-Perrier "Grand Siècle" Iteration #26 Brut Champagne

SKU #1693538 100 points James Suckling

Outer quote mark 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. Inner quote mark (7/2023)

96 points Decanter

Outer quote mark 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. Inner quote mark (6/2023)

96 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark 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. (WK) Inner quote mark (4/2019)

K&L Notes

The Grand Siècle #26 is a combination of 65% 2012, 25 % 2008 and 10% 2007 vintages and is composed of 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir. The selection is incredibly strict, and only the very top wines from the vintages that they declare at Laurent-Perrier go into this wine. Entirely made of grand cru fruit, this batch includes Mesnil, Cramant, Avize and Oger for the Chardonnay and Ambonnay, Bouzy, and Verzy for the Pinot Noir. The wine inside is kaleidoscopically complex yet had no trace whatsoever of heaviness. It is in an ultra clean style that one could never tire of, and is one of the very best wine experiences we have to offer at K&L. (Gary Westby, K&L Wine Buyer)


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Price: $249.99

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Product Reviews:

By: Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 9/18/2023 | Send Email
Being made from some of the best vintages of this millenium (2012, 2008 and 2007), this iteration of Grand Siecle was always destined for greatness. But tasting it, just wow! It has so much depth and complexity, richness and freshness. It is loaded with subtle flavors of stone fruits and citrus, toasty lees, candied ginger and nuts with a hint of matchstick smoke. The longer it's open the more flavors explode out of the glass. On the palate, the richness is buoyed by precision, fine bead from resting on the lees for such a long time, and a nearly eternal finish.

By: Philip Roufail | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 9/15/2023 | Send Email
The 100-point Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Iteration #26 is here, in the case, waiting for lucky buyers. What makes the Grand Siecle's special? First off, it's one of a handful of Prestige Cuvees that is non-vintage, specifically a blend from three exceptional years. Iteration 26 is a blend of Chardonnay (58%) and Pinot Noir (42%) from 8 Grand Crus from 2012 (65%), 2008 (25%), and 2007 (10%) - all traditional cold weather vintages - and is aged for 10 years on the lees in LP's seven miles of caves dug out the Champagne's famous chalk soils. The goal of every Grand Siecle release is to recreate the "perfect year," and Iteration 26 is as near perfect as you can get. A must have for your cellar or special event!

By: Chelsea Herholdt | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 9/14/2023 | Send Email
This is the 2nd time in a week that I have had the pleasure of enjoying this masterpiece of a wine, one of which was side by side with Iterations #25, 24, and 23. This iteration is based on 2012 (mostly), 2008, and 2007 and is 58% Chardonnay. Technical data aside, this is one of the most striking Champagnes I have had in years. The finish lasts for (actual) minutes and I don't want to drink anything else to wash it away. I rarely say this, I see why it received 100 points. It is incredibly aromatic for just being released, with the bones and elegance to age for decades. I'd say that Grand Siecle ages "like a fine wine" but putting it side by side with anything else almost does it a disservice. #23 had just begun to show any secondary character, and the grace in this wine tells me it will slowly evolve into something potentially even more stunning. This is truly in a class of its own - I would grab as many as you can so you can mark the passing of time by opening them for years to come.

By: Gary Westby | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 8/30/2023 | Send Email
Every year the whole K&L champagne team meets to taste the grande marque producers we carry- and this year we tasted 71 different wines from 21 producers, and this was flat out my favorite of all of them. The delicacy and balance of this masterpiece make words fall short- it is the ultimate cure for the jaded palate- and I am still thinking about it everyday. This champagne in the clean, stainless steel style, with a profound depth that is countered perfectly by an aqueux ease of drinking. I hope I'll be lucky enough to drink this again soon, and to encounter it for years into the future. After more than 10 years of ageing for its youngest component, this great tete cuvee is ready now, but will continue to develop for decades in your cellar. Wow.
Drink from 2023 to 2042

By: Scott Beckerley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 8/16/2023 | Send Email
This brand spanking new Iteration of the Grand Siecle is one of my very favorites. Even up there with my ultimate favorite Iteration No. 22 in the magnum size. The No. 26 is an extremely memorable release! A nose of honeysuckle, nectarine, hazelnut, peach, and light smoke. On the palate, even better with mellow citrus flavors, apricot, additional peach, saline and toasted almond. There is a lot going on here and this newest release is at the top of the heap!

By: Michael Benoit | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 8/16/2023 | Send Email
The house of Laurent-Perrier shows their blending prowess again with the newest iteration of Grand Siecle. Based around the 2012 vintage with 25% of reserves from 2008 and 10% from 2007, this champagne is elegant and fresh, but with an underlying brooding complexity from 10 years of ageing. Ripe citrus, Marcona almonds, and rich brioche aromas burst from the glass and continue on the palate, where they are joined by crisp apple flavors with an undercurrent of brambly berries and toast. With a bright, fresh attack, and a clean dry finish, this champagne is easy drinking, but with so much vinous power and complexity at its core. Grab a couple bottles while you can - this is drinking great today and will have even more to offer after several years in your cellar!

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