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Pommery

Pommery started out as Dubois-Gosset, a Champagne house which was taken over by Narcisse Greno in 1836. It was not until twenty years later that Louis Alexandre Pommery became an associate. Although only involved with the firm for two years before he died, his investment was such that his widow, Jeanne Alexandrine Louis Pommery, subsequently took control.

Champagne seems to have had more than its fair share of capable widows, and Madame Pommery was no exception. After the region's best known, the veuve Clicquot, Madame Pommery is the most famous. She took a fledgling Champagne house and laid the foundations for the creation of a grande marque. She moved the house towards the exclusive production of sparkling Champagne rather than still, which was more prevalent in the late 19th Century than it is now, as well as overseeing construction above ground and below. Above ground she commissioned a grand house, which is notable for being an unusual mix of both styles and materials, which is a polite way of saying it looks weird. The work below ground, however, was particularly impressive, as the Pommery cellars saw the addition of over ten miles of new tunnels, with fine arches supporting the ceiling and decorative carvings in the walls.

After Madame Pommery, her daughter Louise, with husband Prince Guy de Polignac, ran the house. The Polignac family continued running the business until 1979 when it changed hands several times within a few years. First it was purchased by Xavier Gardinier, who at that time owned Lanson. There was massive investment, and yet after just five years Gardinier sold Pommery, financing the purchase of Chateau Phélan-Ségur in the process. The purchaser was BSN, a giant in the French food and beverage industry who, in 1990, sold Pommery to LVMH, the luxury goods group. LVMH had already bought and asset-stripped Lanson, and the same fate was to befall Pommery. LVMH kept hold of the vineyards, selling the brand onto Vranken. This is a major problem for Pommery, which has always, in my opinion, been troubled by inconsistency. Some wines from this house can be superb, but I have had a number of very disappointing bottles also. When exploring widely available NV Champagnes on the UK market a few years ago I came across several bottles of Pommery sufficiently bad that I couldn’t bring myself to write a tasting note. The loss of the Pommery vineyards is likely to exacerbate this problem, although it is not a sure bet; Lanson has managed to keep quality high despite undergoing the exact same process.

The style at Pommery is light and delicate. The non-vintage Brut Royal is 35% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier. A step up in quality was the non-vintage Brut Royal Apanage, which is 45% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier. The Brut Rosé is 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier, made by addition of red wine. It is with the non-vintage Royal and Rosé that the most disappointing wines can be found in my opinion. The Brut Millésime is 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced from seven Grand Cru vineyards; Summertime is a 100% Chardonnay non-vintage Blanc de Blancs, whereas Wintertime is a vintaged blend, unusually, of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier. The flagship wine is Cuvée Louise, which can be excellent. It is 60% Chardonnay, the balance Pinot Noir, and there is also a Cuvée Louise Rosé which is 55% Pinot Noir, the balance Chardonnay.

Lastly, I can’t finish without a passing mention for Pommery POP. The achingly fashion-conscious should be aware that this is the Champagne to be sipping through a straw at your favourite Soho nightspot. The distinctive blue glass should help everybody to know exactly what you are drinking, even though the bottles are small – one-quarter size, to be precise. I can’t comment on whether Pommery POP is a triumph of style over substance, as I haven’t tasted it, but I have my suspicions. They were raised further when I recently noted the existence of Pommery POP Art, quarter bottles (available in two different three-packs) decorated with the work of artist François-Olivier Lannaud. One for the collectors and posers rather than the drinkers, I think. (16/3/05)

Contact details:
Address: 5 place du Général Gouraud, 51100 Reims
Telephone: +33 (0) 3 26 61 62 63
Fax: +33 (0) 3 26 61 62 99
Internet: www.pommery.com

Pommery - Tasting Notes

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Pommery Grand Cru 1996: A smoky, somewhat chemical nose, with lots of crushed rock minerality. Soft, creamy, broad palate, with a good depth of flavour. Nicely concentrated, fresh, with a gently fading mousse. This has a really nice presence on the palate, although a rather unusual nose. Overall though, good. From the 2007 Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 16+/20 (March 2007)

Pommery Cuvée Louise 1995: 50% each of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Elegant, subtly oiled oak nose. Very firm palate, leafy, a little green, but firm and clearly youthful. Great acidity. One for the cellar, where I would expect an elegant wine to develop. Needs three to four years at least. 16+/20 (November 2004)

Pommery Brut 1992: 50% each Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Some bottle age evident on the nose. This has a little style. Maturing Chardonnay notes of peanut brittle and toffee. Firm palate, nutty with mature, vegetal characteristics. Plenty of secondary development going on here. Good mousse, a touch creamy. Still has firm acids though. Very typical of the vintage in my experience. Drink over the next five years. 16.5/20 (November 2004)

Pommery 1989: Very yeasty, and biscuity, on the nose. A richer, biscuity palate, with fresh appley acidity. Quite a creamy mousse. From a 1989 Champagne tasting. 16.5/20 (June 2000)

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.

Pommery Brut Royal NV: Current release. A sulphurous nose here, and this character comes through onto the palate as well. Lively mousse, broad, decent acidity, but it is so laden with protecting sulphur I find it very difficult to judge today. Nevertheless I don't sense great quality here. From the 2009 annual Champagne tasting. 13-14?/20 (March 2009)

Pommery Brut Royal NV: Current release. A nose characterised by iodine and aromas of green herbs, it is at least distinctive. A full style follows on the palate, which has a rather soft and creamy-foamy character. Although it has a honeyed edge, there is also a darkness to it that I don't find terribly appealing. Nevertheless there are some good points here. From the 2008 annual Champagne tasting. 14.5+/20 (March 2008)

Pommery Brut Royal NV: Current release. One third PN, PM & C. Reserve wines account for between 5 and 10%. A good fresh nose, Full, bready. Lean palate though. Firm mousse, and incisively sharp acidity. This lacks finesse, but may calm down with a year or two cellar time. 13+/20 (November 2004)

Pommery Brut Rosé NV: Current release. One third PN, PM & C with 8% red wine added. Delicate, leafy red fruit on the nose. Firm mousse, again a sharply incisive character. The flavours don’t follow the nose; tasted blind you wouldn’t think this a rosé on the palate. 13/20 (November 2004)

Pommery Wintertime Blanc de Noirs NV: Current release. 80% PN, 20% PM. As always Wintertime is a Pinot dominated cuvée, and it shows. Firm, almost meaty nose, with a mature cheese Pinot character. Full, balanced, interesting palate. Moderate mousse, with fresh acidity. Plenty of good flavour here. Good. 15.5/20 (November 2004)

Pommery Brut Royal NV: Purchased December 2000: Good lemon colour with a plentiful bead. Clean, lemony nose with some yeasty notes. The palate has an attractive body and mousse, but it has very green fruit with prominent acidity. The mousse develops into quite a creamy texture which helps to compensate, but it's not enough. 13/20 (March 2001)