Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 1999

Sir Winston Churchill's relationship with Pol Roger dates back to 1945 when, during a luncheon given by the British ambassador to France after the liberation of Paris, Churchill met the charming and captivating Odette Pol Roger. A friendship began which, indulged by his wife Clementine, lasted until his death in 1965. Each year on his birthday, Odette would send Churchill a case of vintage champagne. So close was his relationship with the family that upon his death, Pol Roger put black-bordered labels on all of their bottles destined for the UK. In 1975, Pol Roger went one step further and named their prestige cuvée after him, producing it in the robust and mature style that he liked so much. The exact composition of this cuvée is a family secret but it is likely that Pinot Noir dominates 70-80% of the blend with the remainder being Chardonnay. The grapes are all from Grand Cru vineyards which were under vine during Churchill's lifetime.

Weather: The 1999 harvest saw extremely healthy vineyard conditions follow a peculiarly mild winter. A sunny and mild September ensured many parcels performed very well, particularly Pinot Noir.

News Article: Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 1999 placed second in our Sir Winston Churchill Vertical Tasting in June 2016 with James Simpson MW. Read the full write-up here.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru
Grape Varieties: Family Secret | Likely 70-80% Pinot Noir, 20-30% Chardonnay
Ageing: 10 years on the lees
Dosage: 8 g/l
Drink: Now to 2025

Tasting Note: The wine is a deep yellow gold, typical of most Churchill champagnes. On the nose an abundance of citrus and toasty notes leads to a palate full of expressive fruits with hints of honey. The bubbles are extremely fine and with a constant stream. The finish is long and lingering with such intense flavours.

Pol Roger was just nineteen when he founded his eponymous estate in 1849. Still a family-run enterprise, fifth generation Billy de Hubert manages 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.

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
Winery Location: Épernay | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Côte des Blancs
Annual Production (bottles): 1,600,000