Champagne Laurent-Perrier
Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé
2009
Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé is the House’s vintage Champagne, crafted from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in selected exceptional years to express freshness, elegance and the distinctive character of each harvest.
Country
France
Region
Champagne
More information
Producer
Founded in 1812, Champagne Laurent-Perrier has become one of the most internationally respected Houses in Champagne, known for elegant, Chardonnay-focused cuvées and pioneering winemaking techniques. Based in Tours-sur-Marne at the confluence of three major growing areas—the Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims and Vallée de la Marne—the House remains family-controlled, shaped by the enduring legacy of the de Nonancourt family. Laurent-Perrier's defining characteristic is its commitment to purity, freshness and minimal intervention, expressed through stainless steel fermentation, extended ageing and a house style that privileges finesse over power.
Quick Facts
- Location: Tours-sur-Marne, Champagne, France
- Founded: 1812
- House identity: Chardonnay-focused Champagne with emphasis on purity and freshness
- Family legacy: De Nonancourt family, particularly Bernard de Nonancourt who led the House from 1948 to 2010
- Signature cuvée: La Cuvée
- Prestige cuvée: Grand Siècle, a multi-vintage blend
- Iconic rosé: Cuvée Rosé, produced by maceration since 1968
- Cellar philosophy: Extended ageing beyond minimum AOC requirements
- Fermentation approach: Stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness and aromatic precision
- Key styles: Non-vintage Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Rosé, Vintage and prestige multi-vintage Champagne
- Recognition: Consistently ranked among Champagne's leading Houses
A House Transformed by Vision
The modern identity of Laurent-Perrier was shaped decisively by Bernard de Nonancourt, who took control of the House in 1948 following the death of his mother, Marie-Louise Lanson de Nonancourt. Under his leadership across more than six decades, Laurent-Perrier evolved from a small family estate into one of Champagne's most internationally recognised names, without compromising its commitment to quality or family independence.
De Nonancourt introduced pioneering practices that would define the House's style: the adoption of stainless steel fermentation to preserve freshness, the creation of Grand Siècle as a multi-vintage prestige cuvée rather than a single-vintage wine, and the launch in 1968 of Cuvée Rosé, produced by maceration—a rarity in Champagne at the time. These innovations established Laurent-Perrier as a House willing to challenge convention in pursuit of purity and elegance.
The Chardonnay Focus
Chardonnay lies at the heart of Laurent-Perrier's identity, bringing luminosity, finesse and aromatic precision to the House's wines. The grape is sourced primarily from premier and grand cru sites across the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, where chalk-rich soils and careful viticulture produce Chardonnay of exceptional balance and expressive clarity.
This Chardonnay emphasis shapes every cuvée, from the refined non-vintage La Cuvée—where Chardonnay typically represents over 50 per cent of the blend—to the pure expression of Laurent-Perrier Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru. The result is a house style characterised by restrained fruit, fine mousse, bright acidity and a graceful structure that favours elegance over weight.
Grand Siècle and the Art of Blending
At the summit of the portfolio stands Grand Siècle, Laurent-Perrier's prestige cuvée and one of Champagne's most distinctive wines. Unlike traditional vintage Champagnes, Grand Siècle is blended from three exceptional years—chosen not consecutively, but for their complementary characteristics—to achieve a level of harmony and complexity that transcends any single harvest.
The House's philosophy holds that blending great vintages produces a wine of greater balance and completeness than any vintage alone. Grand Siècle is composed exclusively of grand cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, typically in equal proportions, and receives extended ageing on the lees before release. The resulting Champagne combines richness, precision and remarkable longevity.
Alongside Grand Siècle, Cuvée Rosé remains one of the world's most recognised rosé Champagnes. Produced by maceration of Pinot Noir rather than the more common blending method, it offers intensity, structure and a distinctive salmon-pink colour that has become synonymous with Laurent-Perrier's approach to rosé.
Freshness Through Patience
Laurent-Perrier's winemaking is defined by minimal intervention and extended maturation. Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks preserves the natural freshness and aromatic purity of each parcel, while ageing periods consistently exceed the minimum requirements set by Champagne AOC regulations.
La Cuvée, the House's signature non-vintage Brut, ages for a minimum of four years before release—substantially longer than the legally required 15 months. This patient approach allows the wine to develop complexity and roundness while retaining the vibrant freshness that defines the Laurent-Perrier style. The result is a collection of Champagnes that balance immediate appeal with the structure and finesse to evolve gracefully over time.
Country
Region
Champagne
Champagne is widely regarded as the world's most prestigious sparkling wine region and has become synonymous with celebration, luxury and uncompromising quality. Located in northeastern France, approximately 150 kilometres east of Paris, the region combines centuries of winemaking tradition with exceptional terroir to produce sparkling wines of remarkable elegance and complexity. From legendary maisons to small grower-producers, Champagne represents the benchmark against which all other sparkling wines are measured, and its influence on global wine culture remains unrivalled.
The region's vineyards stretch across five principal districts: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne and Côte des Bar. The defining characteristic of Champagne terroir is its chalk-limestone subsoil, which provides excellent drainage, mineral richness and steady water supply essential for producing grapes of exceptional quality. The cool continental climate, moderated by maritime influences, ensures slow ripening and high natural acidity, while the principal grape varieties—Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier—each contribute distinct character to the final blend. The region's 17 grand cru villages and 42 premier cru villages represent the finest expression of Champagne terroir, producing grapes of outstanding concentration and finesse.
Champagne is governed by strict AOC regulations established in 1927, which define geographical boundaries, permitted grape varieties, yields and production methods. The region is home to some of the world's most celebrated houses, including Krug, Louis Roederer, Bollinger, Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot, Pol Roger, Salon, Taittinger and Moët & Chandon. These maisons have upheld the art of blending and cellar ageing for generations, producing prestige cuvées and vintage expressions that rank among the most collectible wines in the world. Alongside these historic houses, a growing number of grower-producers cultivate and vinify their own grapes, offering terroir-focused expressions that reveal the diversity and depth of Champagne's varied terroirs.
Whether exploring grand cru villages, prestige cuvées or historic maisons, Champagne offers an unparalleled journey through the birthplace of the world's finest sparkling wines. Discover Champagne Champagnes, compare prices from trusted merchants across Europe and find the best offers with Sipfind.
Grapes
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most important and prestigious white wine grapes, renowned for its remarkable versatility and ability to reflect both terroir and winemaking style. Most famously associated with Burgundy and Champagne in France, Chardonnay is cultivated across virtually every major wine-producing country and can produce everything from precise, mineral-driven whites to rich, complex wines with exceptional ageing potential.
In Burgundy, Chardonnay reaches some of its most celebrated expressions. The limestone-rich vineyards of Chablis are known for wines combining vibrant acidity, citrus character and mineral precision, while the Côte de Beaune, particularly appellations such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, produces some of the world’s most sought-after and age-worthy white wines.
Chardonnay also plays a fundamental role in Champagne, where it contributes freshness, finesse and acidity to blends alongside Pinot Noir and Meunier. When produced exclusively from Chardonnay, the resulting Champagne is known as Blanc de Blancs, a style prized for its elegance, precision and capacity to develop considerable complexity with extended ageing.
The grape’s character varies significantly according to climate, terroir and winemaking. Cooler regions can produce wines showing citrus, green apple, white flowers and mineral notes, while warmer conditions can bring peach, melon and tropical-fruit character. Oak fermentation, barrel ageing and malolactic fermentation can introduce additional layers of toast, vanilla, butter and hazelnut, demonstrating Chardonnay’s exceptional stylistic range.
Beyond France, Chardonnay has established important expressions in California, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and numerous other wine regions. From the mineral whites of Chablis and the great vineyards of Burgundy to Blanc de Blancs Champagne and modern New World interpretations, Chardonnay’s combination of versatility, complexity and terroir expression has established it as one of the defining grape varieties of fine wine.
History and Style
Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé is the vintage Champagne of Champagne Laurent-Perrier, produced only in selected years when the harvest meets the House’s standards for balance, freshness and quality. Unlike a non-vintage Champagne, each Brut Millésimé is created from grapes harvested in a single year, allowing the individual character of the vintage to take centre stage.
The cuvée brings together Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims, two of Champagne’s most celebrated terroirs. Chardonnay contributes freshness, finesse and mineral precision, while Pinot Noir provides structure, depth and complexity. The precise blend can vary by vintage, reflecting the conditions and personality of each harvest.
Extended cellar ageing is central to the character of Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé. Recent releases have spent more than seven years maturing before release, developing greater aromatic complexity while preserving the freshness and elegance associated with the Laurent-Perrier style. Depending on the vintage, the Champagne can show citrus and stone fruit alongside floral, pastry, honeyed and mineral nuances.
With its combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, long maturation and vintage expression, Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé occupies an important position between the House’s non-vintage La Cuvée and its prestige cuvée Grand Siècle. Explore available vintages of Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé, compare prices from trusted wine merchants across Europe and find the best offer with Sipfind.