©2006, The Birmingham Post
The Avenue de Champagne in Epernay is the Champs-Elysees of the Champagne world. Located along this grand boulevard are many of the leading Champagne Houses, including Pol Roger, once described by their most famous customer, Sir Winston Churchill, as "the world's most drinkable address".
Pol Roger is one of only three remaining Grandes Marques that are still wholly family-owned. With an annual production of around 1.5 million bottles, it is one of the smallest although, in Champagne House terms, regarded as medium-sized.
The House was founded in 1849 and their 5th-generation director, Hubert de Billy, was recently invited by Tanners in Shrewsbury to present a tutored tasting. He emphasised that Pol Roger was a connoisseur's champagne, that was not simply a social accessory, but a creation designed to give pleasure to the palate.
In simple terms, Champagne is a product of the region and not a single vineyard or estate. It is usually a blend of three different grape varieties, Pinots Meunier and Noir (both black) and the white Chardonnay. Each has its favoured growing area: Pinot Noir in the Montagne de Reims; Pinot Meunier in the Marne Valley; and Chardonnay in the Cote des Blancs.
A champagne blend, in some ways, is greater than the sum of its parts, where the three varieties each lend their own character. Hubert described Pinot Meunier as the roughest and toughest, and was therefore "the bones", Pinot Noir yields fruit and body, so was "the flesh"; and Chardonnay adds lightness and freshness, so produces the cosmetic appearance".
In a region where the climate is marginal, the genius of the Champenois is to create a non-vintage (NV) style, to allow the addition of reserve wines from earlier vintages in the final blend. This is not simply to combat the vagaries of nature, but enables each House to create its own style or brand.
According to Hubert, 95% of total sales are non-vintage, and it is the style upon which a Marque should be judged. It is far easier to be more selective when producing a high quality blend from a small production and single vintage. "A Champagne House that can produce a good NV should produce a good vintage wine, but the reverse is not always true".
There appears to be no single defining reason why Pol Roger continue to achieve such standards of excellence. They own around 86 hectares of vines, accounting for 50% of their own needs, with the remainder sourced from contract growers or co-operatives. Hubert lamented that such is the demand for Champagne, "that it's easier to find customers than grapes".
He explained that the ownership of a vineyard is more important for the financial security of a House than the quality of the wine. "It's like having your own children by natural means or adoption. Both are your children, and they must be treated the same".
The policy of Pol Roger is clear. The never buy juice, vins clairs (still wine) or sur lattes (bottled wine made by other producers). Moreoever, during fermentation, they seek freshness and lightness, so only use stainless steel and not oak. "A woody taste is a foreign taste".
Their passion is to make wine first, but their deep cellars, some 7 km in length, allow a slow secondary bottle fermentation, over a minimum of 3 years, compared to a legal minimum of 15 months. This creates fine bubbles, enabling the tongue to taste the flavours better. "Big bubbles are a sign of inferior quality".
The Brut Reserve NV (£23.60) formerly known as "White Foil" is a classic mix of all three varieties in equal proportions, mellowed with around 20% reserves. Unsurprisingly, it has classic structure, weight and fruit. There are white flowers, minerals, green apples and lemon citrus, all enriched with butter, evolving to a long finish.
They also produce a Rich Demi-Sec (£23.60) from the same base wine, but with a higher dosage (a sweetening solution of wine and cane sugar). It's designed, not simply to accompany sweeter dishes, but perhaps to satisfy the Champagne drinker with a sweeter tooth.
At Pol Roger, around 30% of the wines are released as vintage, a much higher proportion than average. Inevitably, the standard moves up a notch and this is certainly the case with the Brut Chardonnay 1998 (£38.50). Sourced from the best Grand Cru vineyards of the Cote des Blancs, this has delightful elegance and finesse, with flavours of lemon, custard and hazelnuts.
The Brut 1998 (£47.25) is a 60/40 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend, eschewing the coarser Meunier. It's altogether richer and more powerful, with a hedonistic mix of red berries, butter and chocolate. Not simply a fashion statement, the Brut Rosé 1998 (£43.25) is from the same base wine, but coloured with the addition of 15% still red Pinot Noir. Less than a handful of other houses can aspire to achieve a wine of this class.
When creating their prestige cuvee, the Pol Roger family decided to pay tribute to their most illustrious customer, Sir Winston Churchill. A close family friend, he purchased vintages between 1905 until 1947 and was particularly fond of the 1928. They even produced his Champagne in pint bottles.
Churchill favoured the older, richer styles and, rather than simply honour his name, Pol Roger created a wine that his palate would have fully approved. Hence, it's predominantly a Pinot Noir blend, aged typically on its lees, for between 8 - 10 years.
There's little to choose between the current 1995 and 1996 releases (£85 & £87), both are sublime. Each has soft, complex dried fruit and caramel, evolving to a long persistent finish. The 1995 is a little more mellow and elegant, whereas the 1996 is a touch fresher, with more overtly stated dried apricot and brown-bread characters. They are certainly are a worthy tribute to a great British statesman.
Pol Roger Champagnes are available from Tanners (01743.234455) and other leading wine merchants.