Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Brut Champagne NV 6pk 6x750ml

Laurent-Perrier has been making Champagne since 1812, and the house knows a thing or two about consistency. After being passed through family hands for over a century — from founder André Michel Pierlot to his grandson Louis Laurent in 1887, then to Marie Louise in 1925, and finally Bernard de Nonancourt from 1939 to 2007 — the estate has racked up three 'Champion of Champions' titles at the International Wine Challenge since 2010. This is the kind of pedigree you can taste.

La Cuvée is the house's flagship bottling, and it's a blend of over 100 different wines from across Champagne. The percentage of Chardonnay has been slightly increased in recent releases, pulling from the Côte des Blancs, and the wine sees extended cellar aging to build depth and finesse. Only the purest grape juice — the first press — makes the cut. The result is a Champagne that balances richness with restraint.

In the glass: pale gold with fine, persistent bubbles. Citrus and white flowers on the nose, then layers of vine peach, white fruits, and a whisper of baked bread. James Suckling scored it 94 and noted "pie crust and dried apples... solid intensity... lightly chewy with a flavorful finish." Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave it 91, calling it "medium to full-bodied, round and supple... charming, fresh, ethereal." Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast both landed at 91 as well, highlighting the minerality, the silky texture, and the complexity of the blend.

This is Champagne built for the table — an apéritif that doesn't quit, just as good with oysters or roasted chicken as it is on its own. Six-pack format, $59.99 per bottle. The kind of house Champagne you keep stocked.