Pol Roger – Fascinatingly Complex Aromas, Charm and Mineral Freshness
Pol Roger is a historic Champagne house, founded in 1849, producing exceptional wines from approximately 92 hectares of its own vineyards in prestigious Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites in the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. Traditionally, Pol Roger, alongside Bollinger and Krug, is considered among the top three elite Champagne houses for quality. The vineyards include renowned sites such as Ambonnay, Mareuil, Aÿ and Cramant, providing grapes for the house's characteristic, elegant, and balanced style. Pol Roger remains a family-owned Champagne house.
The Pol Roger Style
Pol Roger showcases the structure and substance of mature Pinot Noir, but unlike Bollinger, it does not emphasise body and power. Instead, the house is defined by fruity charm, a multi-layered and complex aromatic profile, and remarkable mineral finesse.
Pinot Noir dominates Pol Roger's vintage and prestige cuvées. Under the guidance of Cellar Master Damien Cambres, the Pol Roger style continues: slightly less body than Bollinger but with enhanced fruity charm. Pol Roger Champagnes exhibit harmony, elegance, and sophisticated fruit complexity. The dosage is perfectly balanced, and ageing is carried out reductively in tanks rather than oxidatively. The quality of the vintage wines is exemplary, including the very full-bodied Blanc de Blancs, previously known as Cuvée de Chardonnay.
Vineyards and Terroir
The grapes come from around 20 Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages in the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs. Key Grand Crus include Ambonnay, Aÿ and Verzenay, while Premier Cru sites contribute freshness and finesse and form the base of the blends. Pol Roger’s typical style is shaped by a grape composition of approximately 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, resulting in a crisp yet robust character.
Sustainability
Pol Roger is committed to sustainable viticulture, combining ecological responsibility with high quality. Vineyards are managed using environmentally conscious practices, without exclusively organic methods. The focus is on preserving quality and protecting the terroir.
Winemaking and Ageing
Pol Roger combines traditional craftsmanship with modern precision. Base wines ferment in stainless steel and wooden barrels to preserve freshness and aromatic complexity. Malolactic fermentation is consistently applied to give the wines a silky texture and enhanced aromatic depth. Secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle in the deep cellars of Épernay, where Champagnes age on the lees for extended periods, developing richness and structure.
Pol Roger’s Finest Cuvées
Cuvée Winston Churchill
The prestige Cuvée Winston Churchill was first released in Magnum format in the 1980s from the 1975 vintage. The name honours Winston Churchill, one of the house’s most loyal customers, who maintained long-standing relationships with the owning family. The 2015 vintage is the 21st and celebrates the 40th anniversary of this iconic cuvée. Tastings suggest a blend of 70–80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. Winston Churchill develops wonderful aromas with ageing: Winston Churchill, with notes of orange peel, nuts, dried apricots, chocolate, nougat and white bread. Winston Churchill is exceptionally age-worthy, reaching an ideal drinking window after a few years, which then remains open for a long time.
The Pol Roger Vintage
Pol Roger’s vintage Champagnes are also dominated by Pinot Noir, with a slightly higher Chardonnay content. Older vines contribute to the Winston Churchill cuvée. Over time, the vintage develops an aromatic profile similar to Winston Churchill. Young it tends to have fruity charm but can be a little polished and smooth. It would be easy to underestimate it as charming but superficial and one is surprised what depth of flavour and sophistication it develops a few years later. It is one of the best values for money in the whole of Champagne
Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs – formerly Blanc de Chardonnay
Despite emphasising Pinot Noir in its blends, Pol Roger was among the first houses in Champagne to produce a pure Chardonnay Champagne. The Reserve Chardonnay 1914 gained a strong reputation, followed by the legendary 1928 Blanc de Blancs from the cool Premier Cru site of Grauves, awarded 100 points by Richard Juhlin. Since 1959, Pol Roger has regularly released vintage Blanc de Blancs, known as Blanc de Chardonnay until 1996.
Pol Roger produces a remarkably rich, full-bodied Blanc de Blancs. Grapes come from Grand Crus including Chouilly, Oger, Avize, Cramant and Oiry. The wines are aged in tanks and undergo malolactic fermentation. Attention to grape quality, meticulous cellar work, and the cuvée composition ensure Pol Roger’s distinct excellence.
Buy Pol Roger Champagne at Alfavin
Discover and buy Pol Roger Champagnes at Alfavin. From the elegant Blanc de Blancs to the iconic Winston Churchill and vintage cuvées, Alfavin offers a carefully curated selection of Pol Roger Champagnes of the best vintages for collectors and connoisseurs alike. Experience the balance, charm, and mineral finesse that defines this prestigious Champagne house.
Summary
Pol Roger is a small, family-run Champagne house with a strong commitment to quality, sourcing grapes from Grand and Premier Cru sites and combining traditional cellar craftsmanship with modern techniques. Its style is elegant, harmonious, fruit-forward and complex, supported by extended lees ageing and malolactic fermentation, which impart a velvety texture. In contrast to large industrial producers, Pol Roger maintains consistent quality while embracing sustainable vineyard practices, making it a top choice for Champagne enthusiasts worldwide.
