2013 Pol Roger "Winston Churchill", Champagne, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Champagne Pol Roger created their Prestige Cuvée in homage to Sir Winston Churchill mindful of the qualities that he sought in his champagne : robustness, a full-bodied character and relative maturity. The exact blend is a closely guarded family secret but it is undeniable that the composition would meet with the approval of the man to whom it is dedicated : "My tastes are simple, I am easily satisfied with the best". Pinot Noir predominates, providing structure, breadth and robustness whilst Chardonnay contributes elegance, finesse and subtlety. Composed exclusively of grapes sourced from Grands Crus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards which were already under vine during Churchill's lifetime. Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is only made in the very best vintages and is always released later than the other vintage dated Champagnes from Pol Roger, marking Churchill's appreciation for older wines.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Pol Roger takes extreme pride in more than 160 years producing some of the world’s finest Champagne. Founded in 1849, Pol Roger is one of only a few Grande Marque Champagne houses that remains family owned and operated.

Pol Roger owns close to 55% of the vineyards used for their Champagne production, a true rarity in this region of large firms. Their vineyard holdings equal to 92 hectares (225 acres). The balance of our sourcing comes from long term contracts with growers with whom we have worked for decades as if they were members of our “maison”. Using strict guidelines, grapes are sourced mainly from 1er and Grand Cru vineyards that rate at an average of 95 points on the Échelle des Crus classification system. (In each vintage, the Échelle des Crus system, or ladder of growths, operates on a percentile basis to fix grape prices of each cru, or delimited vineyard area in the Champagne appellation; Pol Roger’s vineyards, therefore, rank close to the highest quality possible among the Grande Marque Champagne houses).

Prior to final blending each lot is aged on its own, separated by village, vineyard, grower and grape variety. Once blended, each bottle of Champagne Pol Roger is aged and hand riddled in the 4.66 mile-long cellars under the Epernay château which are among the deepest (100 feet below ground) and coolest (48°F) cellars in champagne.

Deep and cool cellars provide perfect conditions for the “prise de mousse” (the development of the Champagne in bottle and the “finesse” of the “bead” or bubble) and for the long-ageing of our Champagne in bottle; in fact, all their Champagnes are aged longer than the legal requirement because doing so adds more complexity and fine bubbles in every bottle. In effect, each bottle of Cuvée Champagne is hand-made; 100% of Pol Roger Champagne is produced in its winery, nothing is outsourced. Controlled entirely from vineyard to bottle, Pol Roger Champagnes are the marriage of power and elegance.

“Pol Roger is the ‘gentlemen’s’ Champagne,” as Jean-Paul Kauffman wrote in Voyage en Champagne, adding, “It is not surprising, therefore, that Sir Winston Churchill, and even the British royal family, should have made it their favorite over the years. This refinement reflects a whole lifestyle. It is also a source of infinite pleasure. Pol Roger Champagne has a soul, created by the union of a family’s spirit and the character of a vineyard.”