Personal advice
As with Bollinger, Pinot Noir dominates Pol Roger's vintage and prestige cuvées. The new Head of Wine, Damien Cambres, continues the Pol Roger style: a touch less body than Bollinger, but with a bit more fruity charm. Pol Roger Champagnes exude wonderful harmony and elegance. Their fruit is so complex, and the dosage is perfectly balanced. Aging is not oxidative, but reductive in tanks. The quality of the vintage wines, in particular, is exemplary. These include the very full-bodied Blanc de Blancs, formerly known as Cuvée de Chardonnay.
Pol Roger spearheaded the prestigious Winston Churchill cuvée, with the 1975 vintage, which was produced in magnums in the 1980s. The choice of the name is not accidental, but rather reflects the fact that Winston Churchill was one of the house's most loyal customers. He maintained a long-standing relationship with the owner family. The 2015 vintage is Winston Churchill's 21st vintage and marks the 40th anniversary of the cuvée. The cuvée composition is not disclosed, but tastings of many vintages make a guess of 70 to 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay very plausible.
The Bollinger style is characterized by the ripeness and power of the Pinot Noir from the southern Reims Mountains. Aÿ and Bouzy are among the most famous sites. However, emphasis is placed on mineral, cooler Pinot Noir terroirs such as Verzenay, which are also present in the cuvée.
Aging in used oak barrels adds complexity. Bollinger focuses less on fruit and more on nutty, chocolatey flavors. Recently, however, cellar master Dennis Bunner has been using wood somewhat differently. The long lees aging results in a silky palate and a very fine perlage.
Dennis Bunner is a terroir fan. Following on from Vieilles Vignes Francaises, he's launching a Terroir Series PN, which also consists exclusively of Pinot Noir. While no single vineyard dominates here, a region changes from edition to edition. It's fascinating to observe how this affects the style.