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. Les Réserves N°20 embodies this idea, crafted from a masterful blend of three outstanding years 1999, 1997, and 1996 with a predominance of Chardonnay complemented by Pinot Noir, sourced from eight Grand Cru vineyards.
After at least 20 years of aging on the lees, the result of this late disgorged iteration 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, 24 times in magnum, but only twice as Les Réserves affirming its place among the most exclusive and refined champagnes.
Blend: 54% Chardonnay, 46% Pinot Noir
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a beautifully complex wine. Flinty, even smoky on the nose, with preserved lemon, quince, smoked almond, sea urchin, olive and white pepper, as well as some mushroom, pie crust and salted caramel. Energetic, yet with a dense and oily palate. Lots of power. Sleek bubbles. So many layers to ponder over, with a long, umami finish. It’s Montrachet in nature and greatness. Love the roundness to the texture. Unique.
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Wine Spectator
Fragrant hints of lemon oil, chamomile and canele on the nose are a forerunner to the complex panoply of flavors on the satiny palate, including dried cherry, macerated raspberry, orange curd and pastry cream, plus a touch of white truffle. Rich, with layered flavors, yet retains a sense of graceful poise driven by the chiseled spine of acidity and underlying minerality. Smoke and oyster shell notes linger on the long, plush finish. A blend of the 1996, 1997 and 1999 vintages aged on the lees for more than 20 years. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2040.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of the 1999 (60%), 1997 (20%) and 1996 (20%) vintages, the NV Brut Grand Siècle Les Réserves #20 is the latest wine to be released in Laurent-Perrier's magnum-only late disgorgement program. Wafting from the glass with complex aromas of confit citrus, toasted nuts, tangerine, clear honey, iodine, buttery pastry and espresso, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and incisive, with a deep, complete core of fruit, racy acids and a long, saline finish. The rich, gourmand 1999 base vintage is lent cut and structure by 1997 and 1996 to deliver a Champagne that is clearly more than the sum of its parts.
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.’