Champagne Pol Roger

Champagne Pol Roger is probably best known for being a favourite champagne of Sir Winston Churchill and many British Army Regiments. Pol Roger was born on December 24, 1831, the son of a lawyer, who started his own champagne house in 1849, with the first growths released in 1853. Based around the town of Épernay in the Champagne region, Pol Roger is still owned and run by the descendants of Pol Roger himself. The house has a reputation for producing champagnes of finesse and elegance which age very well.

With its splendid golden hue and coppery bright tints, this Champagne is captivating to the eye. The first nose opens with a subtle scent of dried rose petals before developing into well-rounded vanilla and candied fruit. On the palate, the wine is balanced and underpinned with a hint of citrus fruit and delightful freshness. Enchanting and luscious, as it opens up it reveals notes of patisserie, quince and green tea, magnified by deliciously delicate bubbles, characteristic of this wine of power and character. The high proportion of Pinot Noir in the blend lends the wine structure and length as well as a perfect balance of generosity and elegance: a veritable symphony of sensations.

A pure delight of a Champagne to be enjoyed by itself or as an aperitif with canapes. It is also the undisputed partner of rich dishes such as chicken supreme with chanterelle mushrooms or lobster.

The must undergoes two débourbages (settlings), one at the press house immediately after pressing and the second, a débourbage à froid, in stainless steel tanks at 6°C over a 24 hour period. A slow cool fermentation with the temperature kept under 18°C takes place in stainless steel, with each variety and each village kept separate until final blending. The wine undergoes a full malolactic fermentation, and is matured for eight years on the lees. Secondary fermentation takes place in bottle at 9°C in the deepest Pol Roger cellars (33 metres below street level) where the wine is kept until it undergoes remuage (riddling) by hand, a rarity in Champagne nowadays. The very fine and persistent mousse for which Pol Roger is renowned owes much to these deep, cool and damp cellars.

The 2013 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill has turned out especially well, wafting from the glass with aromas of orange oil, confit lemon and crisp golden orchard fruit, complemented by subtle hints of brioche and clear honey. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and seamless, with a deep core of fruit, bright acids and a beautifully refined mousse, this is an elegant, penetrating rendition of Churchill that stands out for its charm and effortlessness. Drink Date 2021 - 2045 - 96points - William Kelley, Wine Advocate, March 2022