After making a fortune in the wool industry, Mr Pommery was in fragile health in 1856 and decided to retire. However, destiny had a twist, Madame Pommery fell pregnant at 38 and needing to provide for Louise, Mr Pommery moved into the champagne business that was booming. Two years later he died; the rest is history: the young widow Pommery took over the champagne business and led it on to success and glory. Madam Pommery died in 1890 and for the next hundred years it was owned by a succession of people. In 1991 LVMH purchased Pommery, selling it in 2002 to Vranken Monopole Group while keeping hold of much of the highly sort after Pommery portfolio of Grand Cru vineyards. Today the Pommery Estate in Reims stretches to 50 hectares of glorious gardens, tourists love the underground world some 18 kms of cellars with art displays in a large section of the cellars Madam Pommery had constructed in 1868.

Les Clos Pompadour, is the single largest clos in champagne, some 25 hectares are nestled in within the city walls of Reims with an impressive 2 metre high wall surrounding the entire vineyard. The vineyard sits above their cellars and Pommery are one of the Maison’s with these 30-40 meter tall crayeres or "cathedrals" such incredibly impressive structures built between the 2nd and 5th century, mostly it is believed to provide masonry for the construction of Reims. The cellars of Pommery, Ruinart, Taittinger and Charles Heidsieck all have these amazing crayeres and since 2015 they are listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. The Clos over the top of the deep chalk cellars were planted mainly in the 1960’s with over two thirds chardonnay. As a champagne this is a relative newcomer, the first vintage was 2002, technically a NV, but it is all 2002 and the intention of the cellar master is to make the champagne, only in magnum, every year.

Weather: The 2004 vintage saw an initial winter of mild temperatures with intermittent storms and hail. The spring and summer months were hot and sunny and the sugar levels late in September produced good quality fruits, especially for the Pinot Noir grapes. A huge harvest in general for the region. Overall many experts believe that 2004 is one of the greatest vintages of the last two decades.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Chardonnay: Avize, Cramant | Pinot Noir: Aÿ
Grape Varieties: 70% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir & 5% Meunier
Lees Ageing: 15 years
Disgorged: June 2020
Dosage: 8 g/l
Drink: Now to 2035
Production: 2000 Magnums

Tasting Note: The first aromas of confit lemon reveal a very great elegance. Very rapidly the aromatic complexity becomes clear: notes of dried apricot, white flower, blackcurrant syrup & eucalyptus. On the palate feels silky, almost velvety. Notes of mandarin and white pepper characterise the central element of tasting with a nice amplitude. The finish is tense, salty, almost anisated. A pinch of yuzu tends to conclude a tasting with an infinite length.