Champagne Pol Roger

Pol Roger focused on the English market early on and was rewarded with a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria in 1877. That relationship only grew stronger over the years, especially at the turn of the 20^th century, when Winston Churchill drank the wines on a daily basis. During the middle of World War II, Churchill became close with Odette Pol Roger; his support of their house, along with their friendship, lasted his lifetime. He was considered such a friend to the house that in 1975 Pol Roger created Cuvee Winston Churchill, their Tete de Cuvee. This quickly became one of the most prestigious and sought-after champagnes on the market. They work with chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier for their Brut Reserve but only use pinot noir and chardonnay for their top wines.

Over the last 30 years, winemaking shifted– their wines had been previously aged in barrels, but were slowly stainless steel for fermentation and aging. Consistent with previous generations, each vineyard is kept separate during fermentation and aging, allowing the winemaker the flexibility to have as many parcels to blend from as possible. The wines always go through malolactic fermentation, with dosage around 9g/l, spending anywhere from four years for their Brut Reserve to eight to ten years for the Cuvee Winston Churchill. Based on Pol Roger’s quality today, the future is very bright for this estate. Expect them to become a household name sooner than those of us who drink them might want.