2008 Laurent Perrier Champagne Brut Millesime Champagne

2008 Laurent Perrier Champagne Brut Millesime

96 WE

Featured Review

While still young, this Champagne has all the makings of greatness. Produced from grand cru vineyards, it already balances ripe white fruits with a firm structure that will age well. It's relatively dry and has plenty of acidity, which will also aid in the longevity. Drink from 2022. Wine Enthusiast

Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

This is a solid and very dense Champagne with a phenolic and rich texture. Layers of cooked apples and light lemon rind. Brioche and light pie-crust in the aftertaste. Fresh and relatively dry aftertaste.

James Suckling | 95 JS

The 2008 Brut Millésimé is a gorgeous wine that expresses all of the pedigree of the vintage beautifully. Complex and nuanced, with tons of class, the 2008 has so much to offer. Dried pear, mint, chamomile, crushed rock, dried flowers and pastry overtones are all laced together in this finely-knit, resonant Champagne. At $75.00 a bottle, Laurent-Perrier’s Brut Millésimé is one the best widely available vintage Champagne readers find from this historic harvest.

Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

The 2008 Brut Millésimé opens in the glass with lovely aromas of lemon oil, green apple, warm biscuits, iodine and mandarin. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, with an elegantly layered core, a fine, pinpoint mousse and racy balancing acids, concluding with a long and incipiently biscuity finish. This is a classy vintage Champagne that will develop beautiful complexity in the cellar.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

A finely knit Champagne, defined by well-cut acidity that frames notes of Asian pear, white cherry, slivered almond and fleur de sel. The mousse shows a lovely creamy viscosity. Hints of citrus and spice emerge on the finish. Drink now through 2028. 1,000 cases imported.

Wine Spectator | 93 WS

It was a long growing season in 2008, with nothing excessive or unusual, and it has engendered wines of complexity and impressive length. Disgorged in July 2018 with 8g of sugar, this is a wonderfully poised blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. Generous of colour and with forward toasty aromas, the wine is thereafter softer, more refined and elegant, with grapefruit notes ceding to a bed of dried almonds and summer flowers. Michel maintains that the Chardonnay is in the ascendant at the moment but, with time, emerging biscuity and savoury elements will be down to the latent power of the Pinot Noir.

Decanter | 91 DEC

As bright as a sunny meadow full of spring flowers, and as mellow as the cream made from the cows that graze there, this is a fresh 2008 with generous depths of clean lemon and apple flavor. It’s smoky and chalky, a sleek wine to enjoy now, with rich shellfish. Laurent-Perrier USA, Long Island City, NY

Wine & Spirits | 91 W&S

Type of Wine	Champagne : Nothing like a refreshing, vivacious glass of fine Champagne during a hot summer afternoon. Typically combining Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, each Champagne house has a distinct style. Whether you want to sample a single varietal (such as the 100% Chardonnay blanc de blancs) or a tasteful blend, no region can compete with Champagne.
Varietal	Proprietary Blend : Proprietary Blend is a general term used to indicate that a wine is comprised of multiple grape varietals which are either “proprietary” to the winery or is blended and does not meet the required maximum or minimum percentage of a particular varietal. This also is the case for the grape’s place of origin, especially for region, appellation or vineyard designated wines. There are endless examples of blended wines which are labeled as “Proprietary Blend” and in conjunction with each region’s stipulated wine laws and regulations makes for a vast blanket for wines to fall into. Perhaps the simplest example is California; if a wine is to be labeled as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it is required to have at least 75% of the varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 85% of the fruit must be cultivated from the Napa Valley wine district. If the wine does not meet the requirements, it is then labeled as Proprietary Blend.
Country	France : Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world. For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide. France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity. France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive.
Region	Champagne : The sharp, biting acidity, cutting through the richness; the explosive force that shatters the bubbles as they rise to the surface; the intense flavor and compelling, lively mouthfeel; these are all hallmarks of a good Champagne. Most wines are made from a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, but there are pure-Chardonnay variants and ones that blend only Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. As a result, most wines come with a feeling of familiarity, if not nostalgia. Each Champagne house has its own unique style, so different bottles of Champagne may not resemble each other outside of the core varietal strengths. The soil composition of the subregion is characterized by belemnite and chalk, which lets it absorb heat during the daytime and release it at night. This terroir helps create the feeling of airy, playful lightness of fine sparkling wine. These wines were originally marketed towards royalty, and you can feel a hint of that elusive blue-blood elegance and confidence while drinking one. A good Champagne carries you away like a hurricane carries small debris, and you can feel the powerful life force in each bubble even. The characteristic Champagne "pop" has become a staple at parties and celebrations around the globe - when you hear it, good times are right around the corner.

Producer	Laurent Perrier : With nearly two centuries of history in one of the most prestigious wine regions in the world, the Champagne house, Laurent Perrier has become a major participant in the world of luxury winemaking. Fixated on perfecting the art of blending, the century’s old house operates with an uncompromising methodology; the blending of grape varieties, the blending of Crus and the blending of years. Beyond rare vintages, Laurent-Perrier brings this art to a peak with its famous bottling of Grand Siecle as well as its many prestigious and sought after cuvees. When Laurent Perrier was established in 1812 by Andre Michel Pierlot, it became the first family-owned independent Champagne house. With the purchase of two plots of land in Tours-Sur-Marne in the prestigious Valle de Marne department of Champagne, Andre unwittingly brought the spirit of Laurent Perrier to life. He was succeeded by his son Alphonse; however, with no heir to inherit the family business, willed the house to his cellar-master, Eugene Laurent. After a tragic cellar accident resulting in his death, Laurent’s widow, Mathilde Emilie Perrier took control of operations and merged her name with her late husbands, birthing the name that is globally recognized today. Due to economic hardships after World War I, Laurent Perrier was sold in 1939 to Marie-Louise Lanson de Nonancourt; another strong-minded widow and mother of four. Her two sons, Maurice and Bernard, served in the French resistance, with only Bernard surviving. He returned a war hero and was immediately placed into an apprenticeship, working every position in the family business in an effort to prepare him for his eventual rise to ownership of the expanding Champagne house. By the young age of 28, when he was appointed Chairman and CEO in 1948, he knew every aspect of the company. Bernard Nonancourt elevated Laurent-Perrier to one of the top ranked houses in Champagne. In the 1950s, Laurent-Perrier implemented the use of stainless steel tanks to control the initial fermentation temperature. Growing demand over the years for their products led to expansion in 1973, 1979, 1983, and 2005. After the last expansion, the House began to vinify all the Laurent-Perrier group wines, including Salon, Delamotte, and De Castellane. Bernard continued to impact the character of the house until his death in 2010. Bernard’s two daughters, Alexandra Pereyre de Nonancourt and Stephanie Meneux de Nonancourt are now part of the management board, and are continuing the work that began over two centuries ago. Chardonnay is the basis of the Laurent-Perrier style. This grape variety brings Brut Sans Annee from “La Cuvee” to the House’s Champagnes with the most prestigious Cuvees bringing the freshness, the elegance and purity that make the Laurent-Perrier style so distinct. Pinot Noir is used to provide structure and longevity, while small amounts of Pinot Meunier are used to round out the wines. The magic of blending is Laurent Perrier’s signature quality. Assemblage over vintage is a key element to Laurent Perrier’s success. The blends are comprised of three vintages from multiple plots and cellar aged for four years. The wines are vinified separately according to their vineyard, allowing for more control over the blending process. The Laurent Perrier portfolio is star studded with their prestige cuvee, Grand Siecle, a pair of popular rose Champagnes (produced entirely from Pinot Noir) and the vintage Cuvee Alexandra, the house’s most exclusive wine (which includes 20% Chardonnay). A non-dosage Ultra Brut, “La Cuvee” and various other bottlings are also included in their offer sheet. Laurent-Perrier has been avant-garde in creating unique and elegant Champagne for nearly 200 years, making it one of the world's most esteemed Champagne Houses and also the largest family-owned brand. Laurent-Perrier was the first House to offer the successive breakthrough Cuvees of Grand Siecle, Cuvee Rose, Ultra Brut and Alexandra Rose Millesime. With 150 hectares under vine (not including purchased grapes), over seven million bottles are produced each year, making the house a major contributor on the world market, exporting to over 120 countries, worldwide.