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Pol Roger

Pol Roger founded this eponymously named house in 1849, although it was not quite as we know it today. The house was named simply Roger, and Pol, who was the son of a notary and owned no vineyards at all, made his living largely by making Champagne for other houses. But when the thriving family business came to his sons, Maurice and Georges, in 1900, they honoured their father by changing their surname to Pol-Roger. And thus the family business also became Pol Roger. Maurice was very much the public face of the company, whereas Georges was much more active in the blending and tasting rooms.

Maurice Pol-Roger was a legendary figure in the history of Épernay and Champagne. His iconic status was assured when, as mayor of Épernay, he resisted the efforts of an invading German army to enter the town in 1914. The grateful townspeople continued to re-elect Pol-Roger as mayor until 1935 when, anxious that he may step down after so many years in post, they bestowed the honour upon him for life. But death comes even to mayors, and so in 1959 Pol Roger passed to Maurice's son, Jacques, and nephew, Guy. This partnership ran the firm until 1963 when the fourth generation, Christian Pol-Roger and Christian de Billy, took control. The two Christian's run the show still, with assistance from Hubert, son of de Billy, since 1988.

Although the business started without a scrap of vineyard to its name, a situation that persisted until 1955, Pol Roger currently owns 55 ha largely in and around Épernay. On the Côtes des Blancs these include sites in the Grands Cru villages Cramant, Chouilly and Avize, and Premier Cru villages Grauves and Cuis. On the Montagne de Reims they own vineyards in Grand Cru, Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzy, and Premier Cru Trepail, as well as numerous lesser vineyards.

I always find great style and finesse in Pol Roger. There are a number of non-vintage and vintages cuvées available. The non-vintage cuvées, of which there are two, are characterised by the inclusion of one-third each of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. In my experience the Brut Réserve is an excellent example of the style. I have little experience of the demi-sec Rich. The Chardonnay Vintage is the Pol Roger blanc de blancs, and is very good indeed, and there is also a vintaged Rosé. But the two wines on which the house has earned such a tremendous reputation are the vintaged Brut and the prestige cuvée, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill.

The Brut Vintage Champagne is one of Champagne's greatest wines, and is certainly a contender for 'wine of the vintage' in many years. It is a blend of 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot Noir, the only relatively recent exception being the 1966, which had 65% Pinot Noir, although some vintages from the first half of the 20th Century were up to 80% Pinot, and the 1928 was, exceptionally, 100% Chardonnay. The persistent high quality of the Brut Vintage is down to the combined efforts of the Pol-Roger family, with increasing input from Hubert de Billy, together with chef de caves James Coffinet, who was replaced in 1999 by Dominique Petit, who came to Pol Roger from Krug.

Finally, I cannot fail to discuss in more detail Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. Pol Roger was Churchill's tipple, and his relationship with the house was cemented when entranced by Odette Pol-Roger, Jacques' wife, when he met her at the British Embassy in November 1944. Churchill became Pol Roger's best, and certainly most influential, customer. He named a winning race horse after Odette, which I think is a compliment. After his death, Pol Roger placed a black border around the labels of Brut NV shipped to the UK. And, in 1984, they released a prestige cuvée named after the great man, starting with the 1975 vintage. The launch of the wine was a grand affair, attended by Lady Soames, Churchill's daughter, who commented of her father, "I saw him many times the better for it, but never the worse." The blend for this cuvée is a closely guarded secret, but it is likely to be a Pinot-dominated cuvée, reflecting the style of wine that Winston preferred. My personal experience of mature vintages would seem to bear this out; the 1986 seemed very Pinot dominated. The 1985 was less so, but was not at full maturity. (17/3/05, updated 20/1/08)

Contact details:
Address: 1 rue Henri de Large, BP 199, 51200 Epernay
Telephone: +33 (0) 3 26 59 58 00
Fax: +33 (0) 3 26 55 25 70
Internet: www.polroger.com

Pol Roger - Tasting Notes

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1998

Pol Roger Brut 1998: This is the first of the bottles from my cellar, and it is instructive to see how the wine fares tasted in a relaxed environment, with time for reflection and contemplation, as opposed to the bustling annual Champagne tasting. It has also, of course, almost another year under its belt since I last tasted it. Today it has a pale straw hue, and a moderately fat bead. The nose is immediately seductive, showing the nutty and slightly yeasty-bready elements of youth, but with a plump honey-tinged richness. But there is a freshness too. On the palate is does indeed start off soft and seductive, before tightening up a little in the midpalate, but never really withdrawing. It has a toothsome, rounded mouthfeel and a crisp, leafy definition towards the finish. Great acidity and a prickling mousse, which both combine very nicely with the plump nature, which builds to a more creamy style, to give a very complete package. This has come on very nicely since my tasting in March 2007. It finishes well, has more mineral character than before, and plenty of interest and potential, upon which you can reflect as the flavours linger on the tongue. Very good indeed, and a score that continues to creep upwards. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 17.5+/20 (February 2008)

Pol Roger Brut 1998: Unlike last year when it was open and charming, today this wine seems quite closed down. But there are some primary aromas here, lemon freshness and even a little touch of honey. And some exotic fruits. A very composed palate, with good substance, acidity and a fresh mousse. But it is very tight today, and clearly needs a few more years yet (so I will leave those in my cellar untouched). From the 2007 Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 17+/20 (March 2007)

Pol Roger Brut 1998: There is evident finesse here, with nuances of nutty, honeyed, oiled oak all presented in a gentle fashion. There is fine structure on the palate, with correct acidity and a gentle, creamy mousse. It still displays rather simple primary flavours. Has a perfumed character. Just too youthful at present - this will come good with time in the cellar, 3-4 years at least. From the annual Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 16.5+/20 (March 2006)

Pol Roger Brut Chardonnay 1998: Quite characterful, open, evocative even. It has a full style, and yet also has some elegance. There are notes of nettles and flower petals, youthful aromas that precede the complexity this wine can display with age. Peppery. Lovely fruit style. Very good indeed, with fine potential. From the 2007 Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 17+/20 (March 2007)

Pol Roger Brut Rosé 1998: A pale, onion skin hue, and a lovely nose, demonstrating a refined, mineral-infused quality. The palate is broad and expressive, showing some finesse, some marzipan nut character, moderate acidity and a nicely balanced structure. This is very good, and is for current drinking in my opinion. From the annual Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 16.5/20 (March 2006)

1996

Pol Roger Brut 1996: A pale golden colour, showing a little depth of hue, but not at all deep or obviously mature. The bead starts off a little fat, but then calms down to a moderately small size. Very open and welcoming on the nose, starting off with some fresh citrus fruit before it slowly reveals a little early complexity in the shape of some gently nutty praline, with some biscuit and apple notes from the Pinot. Beautifully poised palate, with a wonderful balance of creamy, welcoming texture with well defined acidity and some sherbet-tinged bready flavour. A lovely, delicate, prickly mousse which gives a lot of brightness and should last well in the cellar. There's also a meatiness which I often associate with Pinot-dominate wines. A gently fading finish. Overall really very good indeed, with the structure for future development over the coming years. From a 1996 Champagne tasting. 18+/20 (August 2007)

Pol Roger Brut 1996: A moderate colour with a plentiful bead. Rich nose, dripping with cream and smoky-stony-cordite white fruit, and a leafy minerality. Gorgeous. Creamy palate, with bready-lemony fruit and a correct texture enveloping great acidity, with a little caramel twist. Beautiful wine, with stunning potential. Needs ten years to show its best I think. A Christmas Wine. 17.5+/20 (January 2005)

1995

Pol Roger Brut 1995: A rich and golden hue, with a fine, sparse bead. A fine, nutty and mature character on the nose, certainly a little more evolution than my previous two tastings, yet there is a little note of steel here too. Lovely, rounded, full yet well balanced on the palate, with a fine depth but with freshness too. Quite organic in character, with a long and fresh and meaty finish. Still full of potential for the cellar, but just fine now. The score for this one just keeps creeping up! From a 1995 Champagne tasting. 18+/20 (August 2007)

Pol Roger Brut 1995: A pale, golden hue with very fine, sparse bead. Honeycomb and breadcrumb nose, with floral and citrus tones, and the just perceptible notes of toffee richness. Fresh palate, with a lovely, fine yet firm mousse. Showing just a little more richness than my last tasting, and a little more evolved too, with notes of acacia and juniper. Cracking acidity gives it a lovely, piercing freshness though. Clean finish. This is lovely. Should drink well over the next 5-10 years. 17.5+/20 (January 2006)

Pol Roger Brut 1995: A good, although fairly pale hue, and a tiny bead. Fresh nose; floral, acacia notes, with a nutty breadcrumb nuance. Full, creamy palate, with lovely weight, offset by fresh, sharp acidity. A firm mousse. An elegant style. Beautiful drinking now, but will be better in 5-10 years time. A Christmas Wine. 17+/20 (January 2005)

Pol Roger Brut Chardonnay 1995: A fairly rich hue for a Blanc des Blancs, and a rather surprising meaty character to the nose as well. In character though it seems correct, with an evolving coffee and toffee seam belying the Chardonnay base. As it opens in the glass it reveals a little more minerality to the profile too. The mousse is nicely rounded, with a nice creamy-toffee flavour and as the nose suggested a full, meaty style on a broad base. This is stylish and even seems a little opulent, but overall it is very good indeed. From a 1995 Champagne tasting. 17.5+/20 (August 2007)

1990

Pol Roger Brut 1990: Incredibly it seems as though it is four years since I last drank a bottle of this, and this is my final bottle. That may be a good thing, as this wine is certainly going over compared to where it was in 2002. A pale, golden hue and a fine but plentiful bead. It is very evolved on the nose, rather winey, with a touch of sweet, lemon fruit pastille and some mushroomy nuances. Lovely definition on the palate nevertheless, well poised, with fine acidity and a little creaminess to the texture. Certainly maturing ever onwards now, and I don't think this matched up to the bottles tasted previously. Drink up if you have any. A Christmas Wine. 17.5/20 (December 2006)

Pol Roger Brut 1990: It's almost a year since I last opened one of these. A lovely colour, and a fine bead. Wow - what a nose! It's full of coffee, toffee and crème caramel aromas. Great body and a surprisingly lively mousse considering this wines age. More coffee and toffee flavours, with strong acidity which suggests that this fantastic wine has years of potential ageing yet. 18+/20 (August 2002)

Pol Roger Brut 1990: A very fine but prominent bead. Muted at first, but with just a little bit of aeration there came aromas of coffee and caramel, toffee and just a suggestion of nuts. Delicious palate, with a soft, restrained but prickling mousse and well balanced acidity supporting a mature, creamy rich texture. Flavour-packed, with almonds, coffee and caramel. The finish at first seemed a little short and tart but this also settled, developing a powerful length after the first glass. Will develop further. 18/20 (September 2001)

1986

Pol Roger Cuvée Winston Churchill 1986: A second vintage which slipped in at the end! Delightful, mature, very expressive nose of oiled wood and cheese. Mature fruit on the palate, with a fresh and foaming mousse. Very firm acidity. Much fuller and more mature than the previous vintage, but with a little less finesse. Ready now. Beautiful. From a Prestige Cuvée tasting. 18/20 (September 2004)

1985

Pol Roger Cuvée Winston Churchill 1985: Very evolved, mature, organic nose. Very correct palate, balanced, creamy palate with great finesse. Still has some pure, honeyed white fruits. Lovely freshness, but evolving with great style. Ready now but should drink for a further five to ten years without difficulty. Beautiful. From a Prestige Cuvée tasting. 18.5/20 (September 2004)

Non-Vintage

Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first. I have tried to indicate whether it is a tasting of a new release, or of a wine I have cellared.

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV: Purchased Summer 2007. From a half bottle. In the glass, it has a pale, straw coloured hue, with a sparse but moderately fat bead which corresponds with the wine's youthfulness. The nose is similarly adolescent, showing a little bready-yeasty character, but also with the characteristics of Pinot Noir which in a young wine gives, as it does here, lots of fresh apples and notes of biscuit. The palate has a good style, a gentle and creamy nature, still a little angular and foamy in character though, but one has to remember that this wine has only just been released. It is attractive, flavoursome, but a touch forceful and obvious, and the profile is very youthful like that found on the nose. It rounds off with a nice, appealingly bitter finish. Here is a wine that is entertaining to drink now, and serves its purpose as a refreshing agent and a lifter of spirits well, but it will undoubtedly benefit from a year or two in the cellar, and I will certainly enjoy watching how it develops over that time period. During that time I would expect the Pinot characteristics to change and mature to a deeper, more meaty character, and while it retains its aromatics it should be fine. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 16.5+/20 (August 2007)

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV: Current release. Rather reserved, withdrawn, just a little nutty. Served incredibly cold which makes assessment difficult. I left it to warm in the glass. The mousse is good and taut. Refined style, full and creamy. Really well composed, with a little finesse showing on the palate. Delicious. From the 2007 Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 16.5+/20 (March 2007)

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV: Finesse here. Light bready notes, with white fruits. A light bead. Quite sharp acidity, firm and persistent mousse, and a somewhat angular finish. I think this just needs a year or so in the cellar. 15.5+/20 (May 2005)

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV: Restaurant stock. A lovely fresh nose. Very typical style on the palate, a blend of equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Rich, flavoursome, but with a trace of elegance; lovely balance. Very good. Tasted at London Carriage Works. 16/20 (October 2004)

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV: Restaurant stock. Pol Roger NV is a blend of roughly equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Good bead. Fresh, yeasty-toasty nose. Good yeasty palate, balanced acidity. Typical Pol Roger class. Tasted at London Carriage Works. 16/20 (January 2004)