Pol Roger unveils Defender project

Pol Roger will today show off the result of a two-year project with Jaguar Land Rover and Holland & Holland to create a bespoke mobile pop-up bar.

Since 2013 the Champagne house has worked with Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations department and the British gunmaker on a “truly adventurous brief” that will allow its UK agency business Pol Roger Portfolio to show off a recently expanded wine and spirits stable at events around the country.

The specially modified vehicle is one of the last Land Rover Defenders to come off the company’s production line, with its design and vintage-style furniture taking inspiration from safari adventures.

Following tonight’s launch at Bonham’s in London, the new Defender will make its first official appearance at the London Wine Fair in May, as Pol Roger returns to the UK trade show for the first time in a decade.

Later this year the Defender will head to the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, one of several major new sponsorships for Pol Roger, which is also partnering with the FEI European Eventing Championships 2015 at Blair Castle.

As well as stocking the house’s range of Champagnes, the pop-up bar will also act as showcase for an agency business that in the last year alone has added Islay single malt whisky producer Kilchoman and Californian estates Abreu, Dalle Valle, Robert Sinskey Vineyards and Staglin Family Vineyard.

Speaking to the drinks business earlier this year as he stepped into the role of managing director for Pol Roger UK, James Simpson MW explained this major step up in marketing investment by saying: “We’ve been good at shouting about brands, but slightly less good at shouting about our company as a portfolio business.”