Winemaker Notes
Grand Siècle was born from the vision of Bernard de Nonancourt: to recreate the perfect year, one that nature alone could never deliver. Iteration N°24 embodies this idea, crafted from a masterful blend of three outstanding years – 2007, 2006, and 2004 – with a predominance of Chardonnay complemented by Pinot Noir, sourced from 11 Grand Cru vineyards.
After more than 16 years of aging on the lees, the result is a wine of rare aromatic complexity, combining freshness, energy, and timeless elegance. Grand Siècle is never tied to a single vintage but represents a higher concept: the pursuit of absolute balance between intensity, finesse and harmony. Since 1959, it has been revealed only 26 times in bottle and 24 times in magnum, affirming its place among the most exclusive and refined champagnes.
Blend: 55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A fantastic prestigious cuvée this year with a solid core of fruit that makes it so serious and structured. Like a grand cru Burgundy. Full body. Lightly chewy. Phenolic tension gives it form and beauty. This is the first year to use numbers. 55% chardonnay and 45% pinot noir.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Laurent-Perrier’s NV Itération 24 Magnum Brut reveals a complex, deep bouquet of white flowers, confit citrus, mirabelle, spices, menthol and warm biscuits. This full-bodied, enveloping and fleshy Champagne offers a deep, dense mid-palate that is invigorated by racy acidity and concludes with a long, endless and ethereal finish. Slightly more austere and tense than the Brut Grand Siècle #24 released in a bottle, this magnum blend consists of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, with vintages from 2007 (60%), 2006 (20%) and 2004 (20%). Rating: 97+
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Vinous
The NV Brut Grande Cuvée Grand Siècle No. 24 (Magnum) is ethereal and beautifully lifted. White flowers, mint, white pepper and green orchard fruit all grace this exquisite, super-expressive Champagne. I would cellar the No. 24, as it is pretty tight today and also not ready to deliver the full Grand Siècle experience. The blend is 2007 (60%), 2006 (20%) and 2004 (20%), three vintages that are especially complementary. Drinking window: 2024 - 2039
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Wine Enthusiast
A grand wine, this is the 24th blend of Grand Siécle, the producer’s top cuvée. With wonderful toastiness, the Champagne from grand cru vineyards is at a perfect moment of maturity. Almonds mingle with the white fruits and acidity in perfect balance.
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Decanter
Aromas of smoke, almond and toast. Palate shows brisk acidity with notes of sweet pastry, ginger and cardamom. One for oily shellfish and rich sauces.
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Wine Spectator
An animated Champagne. The vibrant, crystalline frame of acidity and the finely detailed mousse support rich hints of toasted brioche and briny mineral, layered with flavors of Jonagold apple, candied lemon zest, spun honey and ripe blackberry. Sleek and racy on the lasting, spiced finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Iteration No. 24 shows compelling complexities and beautiful maturity. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers aromas and flavors of ripe apple and earth. Enjoy it with lightly-bread, oven-baked Petrale sole. (Tasted; March 1, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
Established in 1812, Champagne Laurent-Perrier has a long tradition of innovation in Champagne and can be credited with many of the ideas that have defined Champagne production since the mid 20th century. Laurent-Perrier was among the first to introduce stainless steel fermentation tanks to the region in the 1950s, resurrected the non-dosage Champagne category with the introduction of Ultra Brut in 1981, and sparked the revival of non-vintage rosé Champagne in 1968 despite the opinion of other producers that non-vintage rosés were not to be taken seriously. Today, Laurent Perrier's iconic Cuvée Rosé remains the benchmark for non-vintage rosé champagne.
Laurent-Perrier has become one of the international leaders in Champagne based entirely on the quality of the wines and core values as a company. Laurent-Perrier is still a family-controlled business and makes nothing other than champagne. The house prides itself on quality and consistency, attributable to having only 3 chefs de caves since 1949.
Laurent-Perrier's house style emphasizes freshness, elegance, and finesse across its entire range of champagnes. None of the wines are aged in oak, and Laurent-Perrier makes fewer single-vintage wines than many other houses. The art of blending - not just of grapes but of years, as well - is fundamental to champagne. At Laurent-Perrier, even our prestige cuvée Grand Siècle is never a single vintage wine, but always a blend of three complementary vintage years, essentially "creating" the perfect year.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’