Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut NV – 94 Points James Suckling | Champagne

94 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING! OVER 50% CHARDONNAY! MORE THAN 100 CHAMPAGNE CRUS! UP TO 30% RESERVE WINES! FOUR YEARS OF CELLAR AGEING! THE MAGNIFICENT LAURENT-PERRIER LA CUVÉE – ONE OF CHAMPAGNE'S MOST ELEGANT BRUTS FOR JUST $130!

94 Points – JamesSuckling.com

Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut NV – Champagne, France

RRP $130 per bottle

NOW THIS IS WHAT GREAT NON-VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT!

Freshness.

Elegance.

Finesse.

Beautifully integrated bubbles.

And a magnificent balance between fruit, complexity and mineral precision.

LAURENT-PERRIER LA CUVÉE DELIVERS ALL OF IT!

From one of Champagne's most celebrated houses comes a wine that demonstrates why Laurent-Perrier has built such an extraordinary reputation for Chardonnay-driven elegance.

And the details are particularly impressive.

94 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING!

OVER 50% CHARDONNAY!

30–35% PINOT NOIR!

10–15% MEUNIER!

MORE THAN 100 CHAMPAGNE CRUS!

15–30% RESERVE WINES!

FOUR YEARS OF CELLAR AGEING!

JUST $130 A BOTTLE!

Think fresh lemon.

White peach.

Crisp green apples.

Delicate white flowers.

Fresh brioche.

And beautifully refined mineral freshness.

This is Champagne with wonderful purity.

An extraordinarily fine mousse.

And the sort of elegance that makes it equally magnificent as an aperitif or alongside beautiful seafood.

A MAGNIFICENT EXPRESSION OF THE LAURENT-PERRIER HOUSE STYLE!

Laurent-Perrier – One of Champagne's Most Celebrated Houses

The story of Laurent-Perrier begins in 1812.

That makes it one of Champagne's historic houses, with more than two centuries of winemaking heritage.

Based in Tours-sur-Marne, Laurent-Perrier has become internationally celebrated for producing Champagnes of remarkable freshness and elegance.

But the modern identity of the house is closely associated with Bernard de Nonancourt.

Under his leadership, Laurent-Perrier developed an extraordinary reputation for innovation, precision and the pursuit of quality.

Rather than following the traditional approach of producing particularly rich, Pinot Noir-dominant Champagnes, Laurent-Perrier placed greater emphasis on Chardonnay.

The result was a distinctive house style.

Fresh.

Elegant.

Delicate.

And beautifully balanced.

That philosophy remains central to Laurent-Perrier today.

And La Cuvée is one of the purest expressions of it.

MORE THAN TWO CENTURIES OF CHAMPAGNE HISTORY – AND AN EXTRAORDINARY COMMITMENT TO FINESSE!

La Cuvée – The Champagne That Defines the House Style

La Cuvée occupies a particularly important position in the Laurent-Perrier collection.

It is the house's signature Brut Champagne.

And its purpose is to express the fundamental character of Laurent-Perrier.

Purity.

Freshness.

Elegance.

And beautiful balance.

The name itself refers to the cuvée, the finest portion of juice obtained during pressing.

Laurent-Perrier selects the purest juice for this Champagne.

That is important because gentle pressing helps preserve the delicate fruit character and freshness that define the house style.

But the wine's personality comes from much more than careful pressing.

It comes from the vineyards.

The blend.

The reserve wines.

And the extraordinary patience involved in maturation.

LA CUVÉE IS NOT SIMPLY AN ENTRY-LEVEL CHAMPAGNE – IT IS THE DEFINING EXPRESSION OF LAURENT-PERRIER!

Over 50% Chardonnay – The Secret Behind Its Extraordinary Elegance

Now here's one of the most important details about La Cuvée.

OVER 50% CHARDONNAY!

That is a particularly high proportion for a traditional non-vintage Brut Champagne.

And it is central to the wine's character.

Chardonnay contributes freshness.

Delicate citrus.

White flowers.

And beautiful mineral precision.

It also provides the structure needed for graceful maturation.

This is why La Cuvée feels so refined.

The fruit is beautifully expressive.

The acidity provides wonderful energy.

And the palate remains elegant rather than heavy.

Think fresh lemon zest.

White peach.

Crisp apples.

And delicate floral notes.

OVER 50% CHARDONNAY – THE FOUNDATION OF LAURENT-PERRIER'S MAGNIFICENT HOUSE STYLE!

30–35% Pinot Noir – Structure and Beautiful Depth

The second major component is Pinot Noir.

30–35% PINOT NOIR!

Pinot Noir contributes structure.

Depth.

And additional fruit concentration.

It gives La Cuvée the palate weight needed to balance the Chardonnay.

But it never overwhelms the wine.

Instead, it provides beautiful support.

Subtle orchard fruit.

Delicate red-fruit undertones.

And a wonderfully rounded texture.

The result is a Champagne that combines Chardonnay's freshness with Pinot Noir's structure.

PINOT NOIR PROVIDES THE DEPTH – CHARDONNAY PROVIDES THE FINESSE!

10–15% Meunier – Roundness and Harmony

The final component is Meunier.

10–15% MEUNIER!

Meunier plays an important role in many great non-vintage Champagnes.

It contributes beautiful fruit.

Roundness.

And a sense of harmony.

In La Cuvée, it helps bring the other two varieties together.

The Chardonnay delivers freshness.

The Pinot Noir provides structure.

And the Meunier adds a lovely softness and approachability.

The result is beautifully balanced.

THREE CLASSIC CHAMPAGNE VARIETIES – ONE MAGNIFICENTLY HARMONIOUS BLEND!

More Than 100 Crus – Extraordinary Vineyard Diversity

Now here's another remarkable detail.

MORE THAN 100 CHAMPAGNE CRUS!

A cru in Champagne refers to a wine-growing village.

And Laurent-Perrier draws on fruit from more than 100 of them to create La Cuvée.

That is an extraordinary blending exercise.

Each village contributes something different.

Freshness.

Fruit concentration.

Mineral character.

Or structural depth.

The winemaking team carefully combines these components to create the distinctive Laurent-Perrier style.

And because La Cuvée is non-vintage, the challenge is to maintain that style from one release to the next.

That requires enormous experience.

An exceptional understanding of the vineyards.

And extraordinary skill in blending.

MORE THAN 100 CRUS – THE ART OF CHAMPAGNE BLENDING AT ITS FINEST!

Up to 30% Reserve Wines – Depth, Consistency and Complexity

Another fascinating aspect of La Cuvée is the use of reserve wines.

15–30% RESERVE WINES!

Reserve wines are wines retained from previous harvests.

They are an essential component of great non-vintage Champagne.

Because each growing season is different.

Some vintages produce particularly ripe fruit.

Others deliver greater acidity.

And others offer exceptional aromatic complexity.

By blending reserve wines from different years, Laurent-Perrier can create a Champagne that remains consistent in style.

But reserve wines do much more than provide consistency.

They also contribute depth.

Texture.

And complexity.

Subtle brioche.

Ripe orchard fruit.

And additional savoury character.

UP TO 30% RESERVE WINES – THE FOUNDATION OF BEAUTIFUL DEPTH AND HARMONY!

Four Years of Cellar Ageing – Extraordinary Patience

Now here's a detail that makes La Cuvée particularly impressive.

FOUR YEARS OF CELLAR AGEING!

That is a significant period of maturation for a non-vintage Champagne.

During this time, the wine develops greater complexity.

The bubbles become beautifully integrated.

And the palate gains additional texture.

Fresh citrus and white flowers remain at the forefront.

But more complex characters begin to emerge.

Fresh brioche.

Delicate pastry.

And subtle toasted notes.

The result is a Champagne that combines youthful freshness with wonderful maturity.

And that balance is one of the reasons La Cuvée is so appealing.

FOUR YEARS OF PATIENT MATURATION – MAGNIFICENT FINESSE AND COMPLEXITY!

94 Points – James Suckling

An outstanding result for Laurent-Perrier's signature non-vintage Champagne.

94 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING – AN EXCELLENT ENDORSEMENT OF THIS GREAT CHAMPAGNE HOUSE!

Fresh Citrus, White Peach, Brioche and Extraordinary Finesse

Now this is where La Cuvée really comes into its own.

In the glass, the Champagne displays a beautiful pale-gold colour.

The bubbles are exceptionally fine.

And the mousse is wonderfully persistent.

The aromas are delicate and inviting.

Fresh lemon.

Citrus zest.

White flowers.

And ripe orchard fruit.

Then come the more complex characters.

White peach.

Fresh brioche.

And subtle pastry.

On the palate, the wine is beautifully refined.

There is wonderful freshness.

Delicate fruit concentration.

And a remarkably fine texture.

The Chardonnay contributes elegance and mineral precision.

The Pinot Noir provides structure.

And the Meunier brings roundness and harmony.

The finish is fresh.

Elegant.

And beautifully persistent.

A MAGNIFICENT COMBINATION OF FRESHNESS, FINESSE AND BEAUTIFULLY BALANCED FRUIT!

A Magnificent Champagne for Food

One of the great attractions of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée is its versatility.

Its freshness and elegant structure make it a magnificent Champagne for food.

Fresh Oysters

The Champagne's citrus freshness complements the natural salinity of oysters.

Kingfish Crudo

Beautiful with lemon, olive oil and delicate herbs.

Fresh Prawns

A wonderful pairing with chilled Australian prawns.

Scallops

The fine mousse and fresh acidity complement their natural sweetness.

Blue Swimmer Crab

Excellent with delicate crab dishes.

Grilled Fish

The wine's freshness works beautifully with white fish and citrus.

Roast Chicken

The Chardonnay-led elegance complements simply prepared poultry.

Soft Goat's Cheese

Wonderful with the Champagne's bright citrus character.

Serve at approximately 8–10°C to appreciate its freshness and finesse.

Why We Love This Wine at Liquid Vibe

At Liquid Vibe, we love Champagnes that deliver beautiful balance, exceptional craftsmanship and genuine drinking pleasure.

And Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée does exactly that.

First, there is the producer.

ONE OF CHAMPAGNE'S MOST CELEBRATED HOUSES!

Then there is the blend.

OVER 50% CHARDONNAY!

Then there are the vineyards.

MORE THAN 100 CRUS!

Then there are the reserve wines.

UP TO 30%!

Then there is the maturation.

FOUR YEARS OF CELLAR AGEING!

Then there is the score.

94 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING!

And finally, there is the price.

JUST $130 A BOTTLE!

For anyone who loves Champagne with elegance, freshness and beautiful complexity, this is a magnificent choice.

A wonderful Champagne for entertaining.

A beautiful bottle for celebrations.

And an excellent introduction to one of the world's most respected Champagne houses.

94 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING. OVER 50% CHARDONNAY. FOUR YEARS OF CELLAR AGEING. JUST $130.

Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée – a magnificent expression of elegance, freshness and the art of Champagne blending.

Wine Details

• Producer: Laurent-Perrier

• Wine: La Cuvée Brut

• Vintage: Non-Vintage

• Region: Champagne, France

• House Location: Tours-sur-Marne

• Founded: 1812

• Grape Varieties: Over 50% Chardonnay, 30–35% Pinot Noir, 10–15% Meunier

• Vineyard Sources: More than 100 crus

• Reserve Wines: 15–30%

• Production: Traditional-method bottle fermentation

• Ageing: Approximately four years in the house's cellars

• Style: Chardonnay-led Brut Champagne

• Colour: Pale gold

• Aromas: Fresh citrus, white peach, orchard fruit, white flowers and delicate brioche

• Palate: Fresh, refined and beautifully balanced, with fine mousse and an elegant finish

• Published Critic Scores: 94 Points – James Suckling

• RRP: $130 per bottle

• Food Pairing: Oysters, prawns, scallops, kingfish, crab, fish and roast chicken

• Serving Temperature: 8–10°C

• Drinking: Beautiful now, with the ability to develop further complexity under suitable cellaring conditions