Description
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2015 Magnum In Gift Box (1.5Ltr)
The Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill - Introduction
Champagne Pol Roger created their Prestige Cuvée in homage to Sir Winston Churchill mindful of the qualities that he sought in his champagne : robustness, a full-bodied character and relative maturity. e exact blend is a closely guarded family secret but it is undeniable that the composition would meet with the approval of the man to whom it is dedicated : "My tastes are simple, I am easily satisfi¬ed with the best". Pinot Noir predominates, providing structure, breadth and robustness whilst Chardonnay contributes elegance, fi¬nesse and subtlety.
Composed exclusively of grapes sourced from Grands Crus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards which were already under vine during Churchill's lifetime. Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is only made in the very best vintages and is always released later than the other vintage dated Champagnes from Pol Roger, marking Churchill's appreciation for older wines.
Tasting Notes:
The 21st vintage of the Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is an alluring mid-yellow-gold with a ¬fine stream of bubbles, both characteristics of the length of time this wine has spent in the famously cool Pol Roger cellars. The nose opens with notes of spices and pepper. A good intensity of black fruit follows, showing the ¬fine concentration and density of the wine. The complexity is obvious: a bouquet of dried fruit and hazelnut overlayed with notes of exotic fruits. The aromas are particularly open and impressive.
On the palate, candied fruit notes accompany hints of pastries, brioche and cocoa, broad and mouth-¬filling. Delightfully structured, the large proportion of Pinot Noir gives the roundness and gravity that one expects from this cuvée. Despite the wine's relative youth, it is starting to show some smoky weight and good grip with broad, rich and long acidity. Full bodied and generous, the wine culminates with terri¬fic length.
Drink now or over the next 20 years.
Sir Winston Churchill and Champagne Pol Roger - A Lasting Friendship
The relationship between Champagne Pol Roger and Sir Winston Churchill dates back to a providential meeting at a luncheon given by the British Ambassador to France some months a er end of the war at which was served the sumptuous 1928 vintage of Pol Roger. Attending the lunch was the beautiful Odette Pol-Roger as well as the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, with whom she struck up an instant rapport. A friendship was born which continued until Churchill's death, creating links between the Pol-Roger and Churchill families which are still as strong to this day. The pressures of his post sadly prevented Churchill ever paying a visit to 44 Avenue de Champagne, the home of Champagne Pol Roger, but he nonetheless proclaimed it "the most drinkable address in the world". As recompense for breaking his promise to visit he sent Odette a copy of his Memoirs inscribed "Cuvée de Réserve, mise en bouteille au Château de Chartwell". He even named one of his racehorses "Pol Roger" and the fi¬lly strode to victory at Kempton Park in 1953, Coronation Year.
The Story of the Vintage:
The winter, with average temperatures for the ten-year period, was characterised by high levels of sunshine, notably above the normal range for February and March. Continuing in this vein, April was particularly warm, bringing on budburst in the middle of this month. Flowering took place in mid-June, typical when compared to recent years.
From the end of May to 15 August, Champagne saw a signi¬ficant run of hot, dry weather, leading to good ripening. Some spells of rain during the two to three weeks in the run-up to the harvest helped the fruit to plump out. But to ensure the best possible maturity, close attention was required to determine the date to begin the grape picking. Th e harvest spanned the period from 2 to 18 September. We recorded an average must potential of 10.4% vol with a total acidity of around 7.1 gH2SO4/L.
Vinification and Maturation:
Th e must undergoes two débourbages (settlings), one at the press house immediately aft er pressing and the second, a débourbage à froid, in stainless steel tanks at 6°C over a 24 hour period. A slow cool fermentation with the temperature kept under 18°C takes place in stainless steel with each variety and each village kept separate. e wine undergoes a full malolactic-fermentation prior to ¬final blending. Secondary fermentation takes place in bottle at 9°C in the deepest Pol Roger cellars (33 metres below street level) where the wine is kept until it undergoes remuage (riddling) by hand, a rarity in Champagne nowadays. Th e very fi¬ne and persistent mousse for which Pol Roger is renowned owes much to these deep, cool and damp cellars.
Assemblage: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Technical Data:
Dosage: 7 g/l
More Details
Size: |
Magnum 1.5Ltr |
Style: |
Vintage |
