Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2018

• A great champagne at a not-so-great price
• Pol Roger Vintage is one of Alfavin's favourites, and 2018 is top notch.

Pol Roger Vintage is one of our best buys if you are looking for top quality under 100 euro.

Tasted by Alfavin

The Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2018 is already surprisingly delicious, even if the dosage is not yet so well integrated immediately after opening. Yeasty brioche notes, lemon, pear, almonds and lime blossom stimulate the nose. On the palate, it shows a creamy, lush fruit of peach and mirabelle plum with a slight citrus note. With a few hours of aeration, it gains enormously. The palate becomes more precise and mineral and exciting flavours of caramel, nougat and roasted hazelnuts develop particularly in the second half of the palate. On the second day these aromas recedes and lemon, hawthorne, lime and salty chalky impressions prevail.

Vineyards and vinification

The Pol Roger Millésime 2018 is made from 20 Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards in the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. It consists of 60 % Pinot Noir and 40 % Chardonnay. The must is cooled to six degrees and clarified for 24 hours, during which impurities settle out. It is then fermented in stainless steel tanks at temperatures up to a maximum of 18 degrees. It undergoes complete malolactic fermentation. After the individual varieties and sites have been blended, it is aged on the lees for seven years.

Below under ratings, Antonio's description matches our impression. Pol Roger is by the way not one of the houses that pay Richard Juhlin as an influencer. Reading the Dom Perignon and Moet ratings one could be excused for feeling a favorable bias.

93 Antonio Galloni vinous.com The 2018 Brut Vintage is absolutely delicious, juast as it was last year. Floral and citrus notes give the 2018 lovely aromatic lift to play off its mid-weight personality. This is a classy, polished Vintage Champagne marked by notable brightness. Airy, elegant and silky in feel, the 2018 is an absolute delight.

92(87) Richard Juhlin champagneclub.com As usual, a classic structure and a very house-typical Pol Roger. Probably very storable and at the same time it is not a crime to open the bottles before 2030. However, those who cannot bear to wait should be aware that before then you will not get the maximum out of the wine's fine potential. Bready, fruity and balanced, yes, but the magnificence will only be found after 2030.

750 mL

12.5

Champagne

Pinot Noir & Chardonnay

Sulphites

• Brut

France

Pol Roger, 1 Rue Winston Churchill, 51200 Épernay, Frankreich