2015 Laurent-Perrier - Brut (750ml)

Laurent-Perrier was established in 1812 in Tours-sur-Marne and remains a family-owned, independent Champagne house, a rarity among the region's larger names. Over the decades the house has built its reputation around three specific skills: blending reserve wines, macerating fruit for its rosé, and crafting non-dosage cuvées, all aimed at precision and freshness rather than heaviness. This vintage bottling represents just the thirtieth release under the Laurent-Perrier name since the practice began in 1952, reserved for years judged exceptional enough to warrant it.

The 2015 growing season brought a mild, wet winter followed by a cold snap and then a hot summer, before a cool, dry September allowed the grapes to finish ripening evenly. The wine is an equal blend of Chardonnay from Côte des Blancs villages including Chouilly and Cramant, and Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims sites such as Aÿ and Verzenay, aged around seven years on the lees before disgorgement.

White gold in the glass, it offers aromas of beeswax, candied lemon, honeysuckle, and toast, opening onto a palate of ripe plum, citrus, and a gentle smokiness, finishing on a chalky, saline note. Serve it with roasted duck or a well-aged gouda.