Name: N/V Laurent Perrier La Cuvee Brut - 12L
Brand: Laurent Perrier
SKU: 99320-12-AI
Price: 1895 USD
Availability: InStock

N/V Laurent Perrier La Cuvee Brut

91 JS

Qty:

From the critics:

93 JS

91 RP

91 WE

89 VM

89 DEC

The brioche and cooked-apple and cream character really comes through here. Full-bodied and round with fine bubbles. Flavorful and intense. Vivid, bread-dough finish. This is four years on lees. 55% chardonnay and the rest pinot.

James Suckling | 93 JS

The latest rendition of Laurent-Perrier’s NV Brut is showing nicely, wafting from the glass with scents of almond paste, iodine, white peach, warm biscuits and mandarin. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, with an elegant, lively profile, displaying a youthfully frothy mousse, good tension at the core and an attractively chalky finish. This is an excellent non-vintage wine that seems to reflect the maison’s efforts to improve their grape sourcing over the last few years.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

The nonvintage cuvée from this producer is definitely on the dry side. Like many Champagnes in the range, it has benefited from long aging before release, giving a wine that has richness as well as great fruits, hints of maturity coming through. Drink now.

Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

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	Champagne Blend : The Champagne blend is one of the most distinctive styles of winemaking in the world. This illustrious blend of grape varietals hails from northeastern France, in the winegrowing region of Champagne. The magical combination of varietals perfectly marry to the terroir, climate and topography of the region, creating a sexy, seductive and fascinating sparkling wine that is synonymous with success and celebration. The primary grape varietals cultivated in Champagne and most used for blending are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. In fact, there are seven permitted grape varieties in the Champagne AOC (controlled designation of origin) though the other four are so rarely used they are often forgotten (Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc Petit Meslier and Arbane). The three grape varietals of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier account for about 99% of the region’s plantings. Chardonnay is planted to 10,117 hectares, Pinot Meunier is planted to 10,521 hectares while the most widely planted, Pinot Noir, covers around 12,950 hectares. Chardonnay brings crisp and refreshing nuances to the effervescent wine blend. When used as a single-variety offering, the wines are named Blanc de Blancs, and account for only around 3% of all Champagne bottlings. Pinot Noir is the staple in Champagne blends and interestingly, is planted in more hectares in Champagne than its ancestral home of Burgundy. It is one of just two allowable red grapes in the region. Pinot Noir brings body and mouth-filling structural texture to the blend. When used as a single-variety its creation is called Blanc de Noirs (white wine made from black-skinned grapes). Pinot Meunier, the other red grape permitted in Champagne brings red berry flavors and balances the overall blend. Though historically a blending grape, 100% Pinot Meunier Champagne wines are becoming increasingly popular. Champagne has privileged environmental influences that give the wines produced here specific, unique characteristics that are often imitated but never duplicated. Its northern location, rugged climate, distinctive soil type and hillside vineyards makes Champagne terroir the only one of its kind. The first distinguishing factor is that Champagne enjoys a dual climate influenced by oceanic currents and continental winds. The oceanic currents help to keep the temperatures cooler, while the continental influence brings precipitation which are both essential for quality grape production. Terroir is the second major component to the success of the grapes of Champagne to grow and prosper. It is composed mostly limestone (75%) chalk and marl with a limestone subsoil. The fissured medium provides good drainage, promoting the health and development of the vines. Each soil type is important to the stages of development. The chalk in Champagne consists of granules of calcite formed from fragile marine shells and micro-organisms. This highly porous compound assists in water movement into the root system. The limestone, being less porous allows the right amount of water to be collected while restricting erosion. Marl is just as important and contains highly rich minerals which allows the growth of berries with intense flavors. The third distinguishing factor is the gift of Champagne’s natural landscape where the rugged and hilly terrain greatly assists in water drainage and root growth. The average gradient is around 12% with some of the slopes reaching grades as steep as 59%. The higher elevations receive greater sunlight than lower elevations at the same latitude. This feature alone creates diverse micro-climates within the region allowing grapes grown in different locations and at different Champagne houses to have unique characteristics. The varietals of Champagne, the terroir of the region along with the oceanic and continental climatic influences come together to create one of earth’s most breathtaking wine styles. From the many styles and offerings, Brut (dry, raw or unrefined) to rose, vintage to non-vintage, Champagne blends offer to the world a euphoric, effervescent experience that cannot be matched.
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.