Champagne Pol Roger

The history of the House of Pol Roger

In 1849, Pol Roger was just 18 years old, but his father, a notary, was affected by an incurable illness and could no longer fulfill his professional obligations. Pol Roger had the idea of starting his own business selling champagne wines. He makes his first wine sale to a wine merchant in Aÿ, which happens to be Pol's home village.

By 1851 and thanks to spectacular growth, the Pol Roger champagne house moved from Aÿ to Épernay. Pol knew that Britain's favorite champagne was brut, and he steered his production in that direction. Time would prove his intuition right.

When Pol Roger died in 1899, the business was taken over by his two sons. Georges established himself as the wine creator, while Maurice handled the commercial side. The Champagne house was already well established, but a catastrophic event ravaged its production: on February 23, 1900, part of the buildings and cellars collapsed. Five hundred barrels and one and a half million bottles were destroyed in the accident.

The two brothers worked tirelessly to save the company. Production picked up, as did sales. Exports multiplied, and the courts of Europe began to buy from Pol Roger. On Paris's already world-famous Champs Élysées, restaurants all feature Pol Roger champagne on their menus.

The years that followed were complicated. First came the First World War in 1914, then Prohibition in America and the Russian Revolution. Then came the financial crisis of 1929. It first hit the United States hard, before spreading around the world. To round off this complicated period, the Second World War imposed the armies of the Wehrmacht, who controlled the production and trade of champagne. However, the company managed to overcome all these events.

The style of Pommery champagnes has been preserved over time

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After the Second World War, Winston Churchill, the hero of the United Kingdom, became a fervent admirer of Pol Roger champagne. He called the house "the most delectable address in the world". By 1955, Pol Roger champagnes had definitively righted the ship. Soon, in 1961, a rosé millésimé was launched to complete the range. A few years later, it was the turn of a special blanc de blancs millésimé to see the light of day.

In 1975, to mark the tenth anniversary of the British statesman's death, a cuvée Sir Winston Churchill was inaugurated at Blenheim Palace, located in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. At the same time, the company's vineyard continues to expand. By 1999, it had grown to 85 hectares. Most of the house's production is exported to the United States.

Since the 2000s, Pol Roger champagnes have extended their range, notably with the cuvée Rich, which dates from 2001 and is similar to a demi-sec. The brand's visual identity has been revamped, with a new logo and a new look for the bottles. The vineyard is further enriched with new plots, reaching a surface area of 92 hectares.

Significant renovation work was undertaken to improve the production tool and vinify cuvées of stable quality. The family home, located rue Winston Churchill in Épernay and dating back to the 19th century, was also rejuvenated, between 2011 and 2013.

The layout of the Pol Roger house

Maison Pol Roger's 92 hectares are spread over the best terroirs of the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs and Vallée de la Marne. It completes its blends, thanks to additional purchases, made from independent winemakers, rigorously selected.

The champagne then ages in cellars totalling 7.5 kilometers in length. Excavated to a depth of 33 meters, they store 9 million bottles on three levels.

Pol Roger champagnes

The Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill

The Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is the must-have cuvée from the house of Pol Roger, created in tribute to the immense Prime Minister and savior of Great Britain during World War II.

This champagne is always shaped according to Winston Churchill's tastes: it must be robust, full-bodied and mature. As he used to say, "My tastes are simple; I am easily satisfied with the best". Sir Winston was not only a great statesman, he was also a fabulous commentator, and left behind entire collections of his ironic quotations that always hit the nail on the head.

You won't know the composition of his cuvée, as it's a secret jealously guarded by its creators. We only know that the cuvée contains only grapes from the Grands Crus of pinot noir and chardonnay and is only made in the best vintages.

The pinot noir is chosen to found the structure, as well as the robustness of the wine. The chardonnay adds elegance and finesse.The Sir Winston Churchill cuvée spends a minimum of 10 years in the cellars of the Pol Roger house before being marketed. Its color is an intense, luminous golden yellow. Its subtle nose releases spicy notes, with citrus fragrances.

His palate is creamy at first, before becoming fresh and gourmand, with notes of fresh fruit. The cuvée is round and fresh, with a zest of minerality.It's a delightful accompaniment to capon with morel mushrooms, and goes well with 18-month-aged Grana Parmesan.

Pol Roger Pure Brut

Launched in 2008, cuvée Pol Roger Pure Brut is a non-dosed wine that blends the three Champagne grape varieties, blended in identical proportions to bring out the perfect balance. It represents the ultimate achievement in finding balance, with a minimum aging time of four years. Its color is golden and brilliant, with a fine, complex nose that evokes rose and clove flowers.

The Pure Brut cuvée finds its place alongside firm, soft-fleshed dishes, such as shellfish prepared au naturel, like crayfish or crab salad, highlighted with a dash of olive oil and hazelnut vinegar.