Wine Guide
Laurent Perrier
In terms of talk, Champagne is a thorny subject. And with more brands that you can shake a stick at on the market, having something to rely on is a great thing. Affordable, delicious and attainable, Laurent Perrier is proof that you don't have to break the bank to have a great bottle of bubbly in your fridge.
A world-famous name
Having celebrated its bicentenary in 2012, Laurent Perrier remains one of the last true family-run Champagne houses today. But LP’s rise to fame really began after WWII when French war hero Bernard de Nonancourt took over running the struggling champagne house purchased by his mother Madame Louise Lanson de Nonancourt in 1939. Bernard had big ideas for the house, massive expansion took place in the latter half of the 20th century and today, Laurent Perrier has become one of the most recognisable brands in the world. Its seven cuvées are exported to a massive 147 countries worldwide, making it overall the world’s fifth best-selling champagne (Moet is the first in case you're interested).
It’s cool to be pink
World-renowned for its rosés, the Cuvée Rose famously draws its pink tinge from the skins of 100% Pinot Noir grapes, rather than the more popular method of adding red wine to the blend. Said to be “the Godfather of rosé”, (the first Cuvée Rosé was released in 1968, long before rosé Champagne became fashionable) Laurent Perrier makes the most of this title. Every bottle is pre-sold on allocation, so basically, if your name’s not down, you're not getting a bottle.
The fizz bizz
While LP is certainly very drinkable is it worth investing in? In general, Champagne has a shorter shelf life than say a vintage Bordeaux and its immediate drinkability is far greater. However, supply far outstrips demand, so if you can get your hands on a couple of cases of Laurent Perrier on allocation, chances are the price will go up. The Laurent Perrier Cuvée Alexandra (created in 1987 for Bernard’s daughter on the occasion of her wedding) is surely the cream of the LP crop; just seven cuvées have been released in the past 30 years, with a bottle of the 2004 worth an average of €250 per bottle and the 1998 around €320 in Q1 2019.
Notable facts and vintages
- Laurent Perrier Cuvée Grand Siecle NV has won International Wine Challenge’s “Gold” in 2012 and 2015, Decanter’s Gold in 2018 (with 95 points), and in March 2019 a 6 bottle-lot of Cuvée Grand Siecle NV fetched nearly €600 at auction (London/Sotheby’s) in 2019, well above the €278-348 estimate.
- Only 26 vintages have been released over the past 5+ decades at Laurent Perrier. A rarity such as Grand Siecle 1995 has seen recent above average increases (a jump of 217% in a single year).
- The house’s bicentenary in 2012 saw the release of Grand Siecle Les Reserves. Each bottle (Magnum and Jeroboam only) featuring a coded metal tag including cuvée number and information on the vintages used in this special blend (in this case 1995, 1993, and 1990). The price for a single magnum peaked at €761 in early spring 2019 after holding steady around €600 for the past couple of years.