Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Itération N°26 NV
Outstanding professional consensus: ~96 points
- James Suckling: 100 — spectacularly complex; ginger, pastry, salted caramel and toast, with electric freshness and balance.
- Jeb Dunnuck: 97 — peach, quince, cherry blossom and pastry; refined mousse, chalky texture and impressive length.
- Wine Enthusiast: 97 — taut, poised and intense, balancing white/citrus fruit with emerging maturity.
- Decanter: 96 — apricot, white peach, citrus and papaya, with superb 2008-derived tension and a silky mousse.
- Wine Advocate: 96 — nectarine, pear, honeyed citrus, mint, almond and iodine; concentrated, tightly wound and mineral.
- Vinous: 96 — dried pear, smoke, crushed rock and mint; creamy, rich and vibrant, with Chardonnay-driven brightness.
- Wine Spectator: 95 — boysenberry, black cherry, toast, almond and grapefruit, with racy acidity and chalky/saline minerality.
- Jancis Robinson: 19.5/20 — lemon, pastry cream and intense character; dry, tight and remarkably youthful.
Bottom line: A world-class Champagne, with an extraordinary 100-point Suckling score and broad 95–97-point support. The blend is 65% 2012, 25% 2008, 10% 2007, from eight Grand Cru vineyards, with 10 years on lees. Expect a sophisticated combination of citrus, stone fruit, pastry, chalk, salinity and vibrant acidity, with substantial aging potential.
100pts James Suckling
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. Symphonic blend of 2012, 2008 and 2007. 65% of the 2012, 25% of the 2008 and 10% of the 2007. Eight grand cru. Chardonnay 58% and 42% pinot noir. Disgorged February 2023. 10 years on the lees.
97pts Wine Enthusiast
Tautly textured, the Champagne is delicious with a poise between white and citrus fruits along with touches of maturity coming through. Drink this magnificent wine now for its great balance and intensity.
96pts Decanter
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. The blend is 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir from eight grand cru vineyards. 65% is from the 2012 vintage, 35% from 2008 and 10% from 2007.
96pts Wine Advocate
...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.
95pts Wine Spectator
A graceful Champagne, with flavors of boysenberry and black cherry fruit, toast, blanched almond and grapefruit pith, graphite and fleur de sel gliding across the satiny mousse. Reveals racy acidity that sculpts fine definition, allowing the detailed profile to expand on the palate, while minerally hints of chalk and oyster shell linger on the finish.
