The Itération No 25 is marked by its exceptional balance and textural finesse. The wine is beautifully poised from start to finish, full of contained energy and mouth-watering freshness. The nose has a lovely, delicate, floral blossom lift with light honeycomb and nougat notes, seamlessly integrated with light autolytic aromas. The palate is both rich and fresh – a great symmetry in these two countering characteristics. The flavours cross the spectrum from citrus to ripe yellow apple and white peach fruit, becoming more saline on the back-palate with a salivating, chalky minerality on the long, sustained finish. The wine has great depth. It is stunning.
FINE+RARE (March 2022)Drink 2022-2042
Incredible aromas of apple skin, pie crust, praline and flowers. So young in the nose. Full-bodied with super-fine tannins. It’s tight and refined, yet structured and intense. Really long and beautiful. Still shy. Wonderful finish. 12 years on its lees before disgorging. Three vintages in the blend – 2008 (65%), 2007 (25%) and 2006 (10%). 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir. It’s the highest percentage of chardonnay ever.
James Suckling (February 2022)Score: 99/100
The NV Brut Grande Cuvée Grand Siècle No. 25 is bright and gracious in feel. Orchard fruit, mint, dried flowers, lemon peel, graphite and chamomile are beautifully lifted. The No. 25 is fresh and taut, but also has enough fruit to be approachable now. The blend of vintages - 2008 (60%), 2007 (20%), 2006 (20%) - is quite complementary. I liked the No. 25 more from magnum, but then again, Champagne often shows so well in larger formats.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous (November 2021)Score: 94/100Drink 2021-2036
Laurent-Perrier's imminently released NV Brut Grand Siècle #25 is showing beautifully, unwinding in the glass with an incipiently complex bouquet of pear, crisp stone fruit and mandarin mingled with hints of smoke, buttered toast and dried white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, with a fleshy core of fruit, terrific concentration and a racy spine of acidity, it's a deep, comparatively structured wine that will evolve beautifully in the cellar. As I've written before, this iteration is a blend of the 2008, 2007 and 2006 vintages, with 2008 lending #25 its depth and structure, 2007 contributing additional cut and 2006 additional richness. While the #25 exemplifies the seamless charm of this bottling, it's also one of the best propositions for long-term cellaring among recent renditions of Grand Siècle, and it will really reward time on cork.
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (October 2021)Score: 96+/100Drink 2023-2045
Champagne / France
2021-2045