LAURENT PERRIER

2017 saw Laurent Perrier releasing their first 'New' champagne since 1981. 'La Cuvée' is replacing their traditional Non Vintage Brut - but the House is very keen to emphasise that this is much more than a simple rebranding exercise. This is a totally different 'Cuvée'. The first upgrade is that through buying and cotrolling more vineyards LP now has tighter control of the quality of its fruit - More than 100 crus selected by Laurent-Perrier now enter into the composition of La Cuvée. To improve the 'recipe' - the wine spends an extra year ageing in the cellar on the lees - resulting in a more complex and developed taste. The amount of Reserve wines has increased by 50% from the Brut NV days - to ensure a continuity of style year on year. The cellar-master has increased the Chardonnay content which is now up to 55% of the blend - adding some aromatic freshness and sleek elegance too. They have also reduced the sweetness of the dosage by 10% - the result is a brighter, more delicate, cleaner feeling wine.L&S (Apr 2017)

La Cuvée is the new, shiny, rebranded Brut NV, only just launched. In 2004 Laurent-Perrier got access to quite a large bit of good Chardonnay vineyards, and this set in motion a 13-year plan to adapt and 'enhance' the LP Brut. 55% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier from 110 growers. Base vintage 2012 with 30% reserve wine. They've dropped the dosage from 12.5 g/l to 9 g/l, and the wine spends four years on the lees. Pale colour. Lemon shortbread nose, the tiniest hint of marzipan, verbena. Needle-fine mousse and intense, sharpened, lemon-sherbet acidity. Very pointed, with a bit of lemon-bon-bon sweetness on the finish. Razor-sharp finish. Elegant, angular, classic. Rating: 16.5 Tamlyn Currin - www.JancisRobinson.com (Jun 2017)