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Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle

Even toward the end of its release, this wine is staggeringly youthful, somehow mustering even more pristine freshness than it revealed when it first landed. It sings with the zest of lemon and lemongrass, the crunch of pear, the spice of quince and the tang of granny smith apple. The bottle I tasted at the house declared its marvellous maturity in rising notes of toasted almonds, honeysuckle, dried pear, cedar, nutmeg and exotic spice, while the bottle in Australia resolutely upheld pristine, primary fruit focus, remarkable for its age. An undercurrent of minerality tosses and glides through the finish, meshing impeccably with beautifully refined acidity on a long-enduring finish. It will live for decades. $200 at Sydney Wine Merchants.