Pol Roger : Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Édition Vinothèque 2004

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Vinothèque Edition 2004

Tasting

Appearance

This wine reveals a brilliant straw-yellow hue with golden highlights, enhanced by a stream of exceptionally fine bubbles displaying a continuous elegance.

Nose

Generous and beautifully powerful, the aromatic bouquet reveals profound complexity. It opens with aromas of dried fruits, toasted almond and honey, enriched by indulgent notes of pastry, sweet spices, vanilla and brandied cherry. As it evolves, refined hints of truffle, gingerbread and tobacco bring this ensemble to perfection.

Palate

The attack is ample, round and deeply vinous. The structure is rich and full-bodied, perfectly balanced by a mineral freshness and citrus flavours such as lemon. The remarkably long finish offers creamy, buttery nuances, mingled with touches of hazelnut, mirabelle plum and pear, ending on a subtle evocation of a cigar humidor.

Food and wine pairings

This exceptional cuvée elevates the most refined dishes. It pairs ideally with noble poultry such as chestnut-stuffed capon, feathered game, or sweetbreads with morels. Seafood, such as shellfish or noble white fish (sole, turbot), as well as aged cheeses such as a mature Parmesan, also make wonderful tasting companions.

Serving and cellaring

Crafted for extended cellaring, the Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Vinothèque Edition 2004 possesses a remarkable ageing potential. Thanks to its powerful structure and preserved freshness, it will continue to develop its aromatic complexity during a long stay in the cellar.

A prestigious Pol Roger champagne paying tribute to Sir Winston Churchill

The estate

Founded in January 1849 by Pol Roger, the House established itself in Épernay as early as 1851. Today led by the fifth and sixth generations, with Hubert de Billy, Bastien Collard and Laurent d'Harcourt, this illustrious brand remains one of the few great Champagne houses to retain its strict family independence. With 175 years of history, it cultivates a vineyard of approximately 220 acres. Renowned worldwide for its high standards, the estate upholds traditional methods to craft wines that combine elegance, structure and minerality.

The vineyard

The House's vines stretch across the most prestigious terroirs of Champagne, encompassing the Vallée de la Marne, the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. For this specific cuvée, the grapes come exclusively from twenty plots classified as Grands Crus, located on the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. These vineyards, managed directly by the family, benefit from meticulous attention to ensure impeccable fruit quality.
Pol Roger is celebrating its 175th anniversary with a very limited offering of older vintages of its iconic cuvées. Each bottle features a hand-applied dressing inspired by the original labels and is presented in a wooden case. This exceptional cuvée, created in 1975 in tribute to the "old lion" (Winston Churchill), comes exclusively from Grands Crus already in production during his lifetime.

The vintage

The 2004 vintage stood out for its contrasting yet extremely favourable weather conditions. After a start to the year marked by cold and snow, spring proved mild and dry. While August slowed the ripening of the berries, a particularly warm and sunny September made it possible to obtain grapes of exceptional quality. The harvest, spread from 18 September to 10 October, took place in perfect sanitary conditions, yielding a crop that was both abundant and highly qualitative.

Vinification and ageing

The crafting of Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Vinothèque Edition 2004 begins with a gentle, swift pressing, followed by a double settling, including a cold settling at 6°C for 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation takes place at low temperature in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with each cru being vinified separately. Once malolactic fermentation is complete, the blending is carried out. The wine then ages for more than ten years in the House's famous cellars, located 33 metres underground. Riddling is performed by hand in the traditional manner, prior to disgorgement and the addition of the dosage. This specific edition benefits from extended cellar ageing to develop superior aromatic complexity.

Grape varieties

The exact composition of this wine remains a closely guarded family secret. However, the blend is predominantly led by Pinot Noir, which gives the wine its robustness, fullness and backbone. Chardonnay then complements this structure by bringing all its finesse, subtlety and elegance.