- 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.
