NV Laurent Perrier Heritage

The NV Champagne Heritage Brut is Laurent-Perrier’s approach to celebrating their reserve wine. Since 1959, they have had Grand Siècle, and Heritage is another way to honor that philosophy, made entirely from reserve wines. A unique cuvée and a premium non-vintage expression, it carries all the complexity of the reserve base on the nose, with notes of fresh macaroon, meringue, citrus candies, pear, and all the floral prettiness. It’s still medium-bodied but has a lovely, rounded feel, with refreshing acidity that stays very well-balanced. Very pretty, I really like this one. The goal is to build from four vintages – 2019, 2018, 2016, and 2014 – drawn from 40 different crus and representative of 55% Chardonnay. It takes the same general idea as the Grand Siècle or a second wine, but in a more accessible form. Just drink it. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.

55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir from 40 different crus of which 50% are grands crus, but the most distinctive aspect is that the blend is made up of 100% reserve wines. A retaste of this new cuvée that fits in their range between their non-vintage La Cuvée and their vintage-dated release. The launch of a second cuvée depends on sales. It’s unique to Laurent-Perrier and echoes their prestige cuvée Grand Siècle, in a way being a blend of different vintages. Lucie Peyreyre of the house emphasises that it’s ‘not a marketing idea but one from the cuverie and our volume of reserve wines. We don’t want a perpetual reserve at all. We want to keep our reserve wins separate from each other. It’s an oenological construction.’ Chef de cave Olivier Vigneron explains there is no oak at Laurent-Perrier. ‘We always prefer stainless steel to keep the purity of the grape.’ Héritage always has at least four years on lees. Dosage 6 g/l. It could be labelled Extra Brut but they want to keep flexibility so it will always be labelled Brut even if the dosage is actually lower than 6 g/l.  Deeply flavoured nose. And very dense palate with lots of Chardonnay refreshment and a really tight, tense palate. (JR)

Composed entirely of reserve wines, incorporating the 2019, 2018, 2016 and 2014 vintages, Laurent-Perrier’s NV Brut Héritage is a blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir. Disgorged in November 2024 with a dosage of six grams per liter, it bursts from the glass with aromas of peach, early-blooming white flowers and lemon confit mingling with notes of fresh bread. Medium-bodied and ample on the palate, it reveals a succulent, sweet-fruited core underpinned by racy acidity, leading to a lingering finish. Setting aside Grand Siècle and Alexandra, this stands out as the most compelling cuvée in this year’s lineup.