It's not just an incredible bottle of champagne, it's the best wine we rated out of the almost 39,000 reviewed by me and my team of seven tasters/editors in the past 12 months. It's the largest number of wines we've ever reviewed in a year, beating last year's record of around 32,000.
A significant amount of wines were rated in our office in Hong Kong, but most were tasted on the road during visits to countries and regions around the world, from France, Spain, and Italy to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, not to mention Argentina and Chile. We lost count of how many miles we racked up on flights, or the literally hundreds of vineyards and winemakers we visited. It was hard work but we all loved it-learning, discovering, and tasting.
However, it was a July tasting in Champagne of the newest release of Laurent-Perrier's Champagne Grand Siècle Grande Cuvée N26 that inspired us the most in 2023. It's a sensational bottle that shows incredible texture, depth, and complexity.
Its great structure will keep it fresh and vivid for a very long time, yet it's equally energetic and intense, highlighting its beauty now.
Champagne producers have always said their bottles are first great wines and then great champagnes, and this is certainly the case with the Grand Siècle Grande Cuvée N26.
It also highlights how Champagne may be one of the most exciting regions in France and Europe at the moment. Climate change may have benefited the region, with champagnes in most vintages now being richer and drier with slightly more alcohol about 12 percent on average. It's also increased the production of table wines in the area, with pinot noirs and chardonnays now comparing with the best of Burgundy.
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Esta historia es de la edición January 2024 de Prestige Malaysia.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
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WATCHES AND WONDERS 2024: THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST
The world's largest watch fair just keeps getting bigger and better. Taking place in Geneva in April, Watches and Wonders saw the world's top brands showcasing their upcoming novelties. From designs as whimsical as they are complex, to refined creations pared down to perfection, and contemporary takes on high complications, there are plenty of options for watch lovers of every persuasion. Here are our highlights.
SECOND WIND
If you were wondering what had happened to McLaren's top-of-the-line supercar, it's back. But after a facelift and some major engineering that's brought an extra sting to its tail, this time it's called the 750S. PRESTIGE drives it.
A Vintage to Love
After tasting nearly 1,100 barrel samples of 2023 vintage, the verdict is that it compares favourably to some of the region's great years, but with even more precise winemaking.
SADDLE UP
Saut Hermès 2024 puts the French house's fine craftsmanship and savoir faire in its toughest arena yet-the competition ring.
TAPESTRY OF LIVES
A social entrepreneur and Rolex Awards for Enterprise 2023 Laureate, DENICA RIADINI-FLesch is bettering the lives of Indonesian rural craftswomen in the garment industry while improving the health of the planet.
LIKE A BOSS
We head over to sunny Bali, to indulge in luxury living the Boss way.
GUARDING A GRAND HERITAGE
In an exclusive interview with PRESTIGE, fourthgeneration Patek Philippe chief Thierry Stern discusses meaningful innovations, business continuity, and what surfing's got to do with it.
FROM NIGHTLIFE TO NAPTIME
Roen Cian lives life as a series of projects. Whether it's inhabiting the role of entrepreneur, father, or connoisseur, he gives himself fully to everything he does.
DIVE TIME
The new high-tech ceramic models in Rado's iconic Captain Cook family are now equipped with a skeletonised calibre, endowing them with a sporty, contemporary sophistication.
ALL NATURAL
Luxury skincare brands are embracing farm-to-face beauty, cultivating their own ingredients for increased control, quality, and sustainability.