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Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2008
Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2008 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2008

Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2008

Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2008 >
Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2008 <
Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2008 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2008
Pol Roger was just nineteen when he founded his estate in 1849. Still a family-run enterprise, fifth generation Hubert de Billy is one of the descendants who manage the House today. With 89-hectares of vineyards supplying half of their grape requirements and illustrious premises containing immaculate facilities including pristinely polished stainless-steel tanks. Today they own 92 hectares of vineyards and its cellars in Epernay, just off the Avenue de Champagne run for 7.5 kms, 34 metres below the ground at a constant 9 Celsius.

Remarkably, a small team of less than ten complete everything in the cellar by hand and Pol Roger boast four of the region's remaining fifteen riddlers, who impressively turn over 60,000 bottles a day. Indeed, it is this style and their respect for tradition that initiated Sir Winston Churchill's lifelong attachment to Pol Roger, who famously insisted: "In defeat I need it, in victory I deserve it." Today, their prestige cuvée is named in honour of the great man.

Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs is made exclusively from the Grand Crus of the Côte des Blancs. The must undergoes two settlings, one at the press house immediately after pressing and another in Pol Roger's famous stainless-steel tanks. Second fermentation takes place in the coolest Pol Roger cellars, thirty-three metres below ground level at temperatures of just 9°C, some 2-3°C cooler than the cellars of other producers. The cooler cellars slow down bottle fermentation, producing a champagne with finer bubbles, a characteristic for which these small production releases of Pol Roger are known for. The final blend is aged for seven years in the cellars before disgorgment and release.

Weather: After a rainy but mild winter without any prolonged cold spells, spring arrived with some very localised frosts. Cool weather returned in June and the infrequent sunshine prolonged the feeling of freshness. The spring to autumn weather was bright with sunny spells and the long, hot days and cool nights during September gave the grapes excellent acidity during the harvest period. The 2008 vintage is fast emerging as one of the best since the renowned and now-legendary 2002.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Oiry, Oger
Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay
Ageing: 7 years on the lees
Disgorged: November 2014
Dosage: 7 g/l
Drink: Now to 2030

Tasting Note: This youthful champagne is a pale yellow-gold with hints of grapefruit and almond on the nose. Still quite restrained on first impression but with those early signs of Chardonnay richness waiting to burst out. Slightly more giving on the palate - the delicious, creamy and full-bodied character is already starting to show and the flavours linger beautifully. Give this champagne some time and it will develop, open up and really show its full potential.
Pol Roger was just nineteen when he founded his eponymous estate in 1849. Still a family-run enterprise, fifth generation Hubert de Billy is one of the descendants who manage the House today, ensuring they remain fiercely independent and unrivalled in their reputation for quality. With 89-hectares of vineyards supplying half of their grape requirements and illustrious premises containing immaculate facilities including pristinely polished stainless-steel tanks that reflect shiny tiles and snow-white surfaces, their success is a consequence of incredibly personal attention to detail. In 1955 the family started acquiring vineyards, today they own 92 hectares. Their own grapes are just over 50% of their needs, requiring them to work with many growers from many villages. Its cellars in Epernay are just off the Avenue de Champagne run for 7.5 kms, 34 metres below the ground at a constant 9 Celsius.

Remarkably, a small team of less than ten complete everything in the cellar by hand and Pol Roger boast four of the region's remaining fifteen riddlers, who impressively turn over 60,000 bottles a day. The House use no oak in the winemaking process and their double cold-settling of the grape juice contributes to the pure-fruity style of their champagnes. Indeed, it is this style and their respect for tradition that initiated Sir Winston Churchill's lifelong attachment to Pol Roger, who famously insisted: "In defeat I need it, in victory I deserve it." Today, their prestige cuvée is named in honour of the great man.

Cellar Master: Damien Cambres - March 2018 to present
Winery Location: Épernay | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Côte des Blancs
Annual Production (bottles): 1,800,000

Chef de Cave History at Champagne Pol Roger:

Damien Cambres - March 2018 to present - Damien Cambres took over as Cellar Master on Monday April 2nd 2018, at forty-three he succeeds Dominique Petit who retires after 19 years at Champagne Pol Roger. Damien was born in Châlons-en-Champagne and completed the national diploma in oenology. Before joining Pol Roger he spent 20 years in champagnes co-operative business, 1997 to 2012, with Nicolas Feuillatte, before joining Gouttes d’Or Union as production manager then general manager, until 2017 when he joined Pol Roger as Director of Production in April 2017. For the next 12 months he worked with his predecessor Dominique Petit understanding the know-how and philosophy of the family-owned company.

Dominique Petit - Spring 1999 & retired in March 2018 Dominique studied oenology for seven years; Beaune Wine College in 1970 to 1971, Wine College of Avize from 1971 to 1973 and finally at the Faculty of Science in Reims from 1973 to 1977. His first vintage of his professional career was 1979, he comments "Maturity was spectacular with a purity that was extraordinarily beautiful. The wines were all without exception wonderful, and the few remaining examples in the cellars are still the same." This first role was at Champagne Krug, where he stayed for 20 years, part of the winemaking team and becoming Director of Production. Much of early years with Champagne Pol Roger, from 2001 to 2013 he oversaw a major refurbishment of the winery, enlarging the cellar space for settling, blending and vinification. In addition he introduced smaller tanks from 20 hl to 160 h/l , allowing him to keep smaller parcels of the best wines separate for the vintage and Churchill cuvée.

James Coffinet - 1985 to Spring 1999 - Recruited by Christian de Billy from Billecart-Salmon where he was Cellar Master. With Christian's oversight, James introduced double débourbage, longer periods of cold settling the must, twice for between 24-48 hours at 6 Celsius followed by a cooler fermentation. These were practices borrowed from the brewing industry and used at Champagne Billecart-Salmon where he previously worked. Coffinet was considered one of the best winemakers of his generation.
Chef de Cave History at Champagne Pol Roger:

Damien Cambres - March 2018 to present - Damien Cambres took over as Cellar Master on Monday April 2nd 2018, at forty-three he succeeds Dominique Petit who retires after 19 years at Champagne Pol Roger. Damien was born in Châlons-en-Champagne and completed the national diploma in oenology. Before joining Pol Roger he spent 20 years in champagnes co-operative business, 1997 to 2012, with Nicolas Feuillatte, before joining Gouttes d’Or Union as production manager then general manager, until 2017 when he joined Pol Roger as Director of Production in April 2017. For the next 12 months he worked with his predecessor Dominique Petit understanding the know-how and philosophy of the family-owned company.

Dominique Petit - Spring 1999 & retired in March 2018 Dominique studied oenology for seven years; Beaune Wine College in 1970 to 1971, Wine College of Avize from 1971 to 1973 and finally at the Faculty of Science in Reims from 1973 to 1977. His first vintage of his professional career was 1979, he comments "Maturity was spectacular with a purity that was extraordinarily beautiful. The wines were all without exception wonderful, and the few remaining examples in the cellars are still the same." This first role was at Champagne Krug, where he stayed for 20 years, part of the winemaking team and becoming Director of Production. Much of early years with Champagne Pol Roger, from 2001 to 2013 he oversaw a major refurbishment of the winery, enlarging the cellar space for settling, blending and vinification. In addition he introduced smaller tanks from 20 hl to 160 h/l , allowing him to keep smaller parcels of the best wines separate for the vintage and Churchill cuvée.

James Coffinet - 1985 to Spring 1999 - Recruited by Christian de Billy from Billecart-Salmon where he was Cellar Master. With Christian's oversight, James introduced double débourbage, longer periods of cold settling the must, twice for between 24-48 hours at 6 Celsius followed by a cooler fermentation. These were practices borrowed from the brewing industry and used at Champagne Billecart-Salmon where he previously worked. Coffinet was considered one of the best winemakers of his generation.

Expert Reviews

17/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“Commanding nose that already shows a bit of maturity. Very crystalline structure and bone dry finish. Very much an aperitif wine despite the fruit concentration on the mid palate. Refined. ”
17.5/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“Delicate, prancing, racy. Not too sweet. Lovely stuff! This has both breadth and depth.”
92/100
Antonio Galloni
“Pol Roger's 2008 Blanc de Blancs is a very pretty, expressive Champagne to drink now and over the next handful of years. White orchard fruit, sage, pastry and candied lemon peel open up nicely in the glass. This is an especially creamy, voluptuous 2008, although the acidity of the vintage comes through nicely on the back end.”
94/100
John Stimpfig
“This is heart-stoppingly good, which makes the decision all the more difficult as to when to drink it. Guzzle it all up now or drink it slowly over the next 15 years? If you are going to drink it now, you’ll find a fabulous fusion of almonds, white flowers, cream, hay, brioche and lemon sherbet. It’s also superbly balanced, bright, racy and dazzlingly long. Of course, that’s down to the Pol style, savoir faire and fruit selection. The grapes come from some of the Cote des Blancs top Grands including Chouilly, Cramant, Avize and Oger. Ultimately, it is still a baby. So my advice would be to wait a while until it really hits its stride.
91/100
Antonio Galloni
“Pol Roger's 2008 Brut Blanc de Blancs offers striking intensity in its finely sculpted, chiseled personality. Candied lemon, hazelnut, dried pear and herbs are some of the signatures. This is an especially vinous Blanc de Blancs that at times is suggestive of the richness one sees in the Montagne de Reims, but all of the fruit is from five Grand Cru villages in the Côte des Blancs - Oiry, Chouilly, Cramant, Avize and Oger.”
See All Reviews
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News Articles

  1. Churchill Connection: Pol Roger
    Churchill Connection: Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill's relationship with Pol Roger dates back to 1945 when a friendship began between Churchill and Odette Pol-Roger..
  2. Is Vintage 2008 The Next 2002?
    Is Vintage 2008 The Next 2002? We compared fifteen 2008s (+ new Krug Grande Cuvée based on 2008) to assess the quality of this emerging vintage in champagne. For reference, we tasted five 2002s alongside - and threw in a couple of curveballs to keep everyone alert!
  3. Pol Roger: '02, '04, '06, '08, who do we appreciate?
    Pol Roger: '02, '04, '06, '08, who do we appreciate? To celebrate the release of Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2008, we put it to the test in a blind vertical tasting of the last four vintages of Pol: 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. We also threw in the non-vintage for good measure.

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