Maison de Champagne Pol Roger: What if we told you more?

This is the complete guide the history and vintages of the Champagne House Pol Roger. Founded in 1849 in Aÿ, Pol Roger moved to Epernay two years later. The eponymous founder died in 1899 after selling his champagne to the English. Today, Sir Winston remains the flagship cuvée of the Pol Roger champagne house. In this article, I'll take you through the history of the house and its family, as well as detailing the scope of all these cuvées. At the end, you'll know almost everything about this champagne estate. For 170 years, it has been one of the best-known names in the inner circle of great champagne brands.

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The history of the estate from 1849 to the present day:

• Pol Roger made his first wine sale in January 1849 due to family upheaval: his father, a notary by trade, was suffering from an incurable illness and could no longer be active in the field. The merchant buyer came from Pol Roger's native village of Aÿ. The company grew rapidly, moving from Aÿ to Epernay in 1851. In 1855, Pol favored the production of brut champagne, because he knew it was the English favorite. After the founder's death in 1899, the house achieved enviable success in just thirty years.

 

• On February 23, 1900, a disaster struck the estate: part of the cellars and buildings collapsed, sweeping away 500 barrels and a million and a half bottles. Maurice and Georges, Roger's sons, were at the head of the company at the time, and their solidarity helped them to overcome the crisis. The brand gained ground, with many crowned heads becoming customers, and luxury restaurants on the Champs-Elysées serving Pol Roger. But following the 14-18 war, business collapsed.

 

• Exports became increasingly difficult due to prohibition in the United States and the revolution in Russia. Despite this, Pol Roger champagnes were found in many countries, and the company's success continued. Thanks to family control, the business continued to prosper. Then came the crisis of 1929, when the Wehrmacht took control of purchasing and production.

 

• Winston Churchill became an emblematic figure in the post-war era. This English statesman became a loyal customer of the house, "the most delectable address in the world", as he put it. In 1955, the sales situation improved, and the range of wines developed even further, giving the house a new impetus. In 1961, a vintage rosé was released, and years later a vintage blanc de blancs appeared. The "Sir Winston Churchill" cuvée was launched in 1975 at Blenheim Palace, but only in magnum format. By 1999, the estate had grown to 85 hectares, and the following year, the United States became the most important export market.

 

• Since the 2000s, they have been developing a new sales strategy based on voluntary work. In several countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Australia), new exporters propel the brand. The "Rich" cuvée was born in 2001, approaching a demi-sec, and in the same year the bottles' packaging and logo were modified for greater elegance and distinction. In 2007, the cuvée Pure Extra Brut was added to the range, to maintain the same level of excellence in a 92-hectare vineyard, and to further accentuate the quality of its supplies. Between 2001 and 2011, the production facilities were completely renovated so that Dominique Petit, the cellar master, could vinify cuvées of great regularity and dazzling homogeneity. Between 2011 and 2013, the company decided to renovate the estate to bring it up to date. Since April 2018, Damien Cambres has been the cellar master, replacing Dominique Petit who had been at the helm of the house for almost 19 years.

 

The great vintages of the Maison Pol Roger :

 

 

• Champagne Pol Roger Brut vintage :

 

 

Assembly This cuvée is made from 60% of Pinot Noir and 40% of Chardonnay from 20 Grands and Premiers Crus from the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs regions. Like the rosé and Blanc des Blancs, it is produced in limited quantities. It is aged for 7 years before being launched on the market.

Tasting Pale gold in color, with a lively, elegant cordon. The nose offers a complex bouquet of almond, cashew and candied berries, gracefully balanced by youthful, light notes of mineral and floral nuances. On opening, scents of toast and pastries reveal all their richness and intensity. On the palate, the attack is clean, fresh and acidic, while developing roundness and suppleness. White flower scents then emerge, underlined by a beautiful tension that provides a long finish. Gradually, the body asserts itself to give a creamy texture with reminiscences of pastry, toast and an exquisite salinity on the finish.

 

 

• Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill:

 

 

Assembly This cuvée was created as a tribute to Sir Winston Churchill, with reference to the qualities he loved most in Champagne: robustness, structure and maturity. The exact composition is a secret jealously guarded by members of the Pol Roger family, but it's certain to be based on a formula that its dedicatee would not have denied: "My tastes are simple, I'm easily satisfied with the best," he liked to say...It's made from grapes grown in great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vintages.

Tasting The color is old gold with gray highlights, with fine bubbles giving rise to a fine cordon. The nose reveals generous pastry aromas with hints of vanilla and brioche, followed by subtle fragrances of sweet spices. The bouquet expresses a range of dried fruits and candied exotic fruits associated with banana and papaya. The attack on the palate brings out an extraordinary explosion of flavor, elegantly blending roasted almonds, acacia honey, hazelnut liqueur and gingerbread.

• Pol Roger Reserve :

Assembly It comes from 3 different Champagne grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.

Vinification and Ageing After harvesting, the grapes are quickly and gently pressed. They are then cold-settled at 6 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. Fermentation takes place in thermo-regulated stainless-steel vats at a low temperature of 18 degrees, where the grape varieties are vinified separately before final blending. All our wines undergo malolactic fermentation. After tasting, blending and bottling, the wines are aged in cool, 3-meter-deep cellars. Bottles are traditionally riddled by hand, with disgorging and dosage. The wines are left to rest for around 3 months before shipping.

Tasting Straw-yellow in color, with abundant, fine effervescence. The nose initially reveals fruit aromas such as pear and mango, light scents of honeysuckle and white jasmine, followed by notes of brioche and vanilla. On the palate, flavors of cooked fruit (quince jelly, apricot jam) are matched by fragrances of beeswax and acacia honey, with notes of both fruit (candied orange peel, tangerine, etc.) and spice (cardamom, green anise).

Food & Wine A perfect accompaniment to an aperitif, or the perfect companion to a champagne-filled meal.

You now have all the information you need to enjoy a tasting of Champagne Pol Roger cuvées. We also work directly with the estate. The wines are transferred from their cellars to our winery. We're lucky to have allocations every year! Discover the Pol Roger collection on the website :