Pol Roger showcases its age-worthy Champagnes with Vinothèque series

To mark its 175^th anniversary, Pol Roger has launched a Vinothèque series in what will become an ongoing programme of annual releases designed to showcase the propensity for Pol Roger wines to age. Sara Underdown gets a first taste.

Speaking with the drinks business in Reims, Pol Roger’s managing director, Laurent d’Harcourt, said that the idea is to hold back more outstanding vintages, with their original disgorgements, for 20 or 30 years.

It’s a big move for the company which has always taken a conservative business approach, opting only to release current vintages. But d’Harcourt sees opportunity to engage an emerging and more sophisticated market for mature Champagnes.

“I think it’s a relatively new thing,” he says referring to the increasing interest in back-vintages. “In the last 10 or 15 years, people have become more educated with programmes like the WSET (Wine Spirit Education Trust) and they want to be good at understanding wine.”

It’s no secret that demand for premium Champagnes has been a recent phenomenon, which peaked during COVID, as people looked for ways to lessen their boredom blues by trading-up into more exclusive Champagnes and ‘discovery’ experiences. Demand at this level has remained largely inelastic, post-COVID, which applies even more-so to older Champagnes as they are niche within the prestige market.

Interest is likely to continue, according to d’Harcourt, who says that more educated consumers means that demand for older Champagnes will not be temporary.

At the top end, in markets like Hong Kong, sommeliers have been vying for Pol Roger back-vintages for a long time, including on the secondary market. Questions around provenance and condition, for anyone seeking these rarer and older wines, is another reason d’Harcourt started cellaring more Champagnes (for future release) 15 years ago.

“I think for some distant markets, the Vinothèque is a great idea because when you have a long time post disgorgement, you don’t want them to be exposed to extreme conditions. We have huge experience with old Champagnes, they are still ‘alive’, because our cellars are perfect for this,” he says referring to ‘good’ examples from 1914 and 1921.

This year, Pol Roger will release original disgorgements of 1998 and 1999 Sir Winston Churchill (bottles and magnums), Brut Vintage 2000 and 2002 (bottles and magnums), Blanc de Blancs 2000 (bottles only) and Rosé Vintage 1999 (bottles only). In 2025, there will be Brut Vintage 2004 (bottles and magnums), Blanc de Blancs 2002 (bottles only) and Sir Winston Churchill 2002 (bottles and magnums).

With an eye to the future, d’Harcourt says that investing in winemaking, to be more precise and to limit bottle variation, will make even better Vinothèque Champagnes. The recent opening of a state-of-the-art production site is just the latest innovation in a long-documented series of quality improvements that go to the heart of the Maison’s mandate for producing some of the most age-worthy wines.

“It means that we can make decisions that were not available to us in the past,” he says about the improvements. “The Vinothèque Champagnes will be made for people who want something special and very good, so making these changes produces better and more consistent wines for the future.”

On the question of volume and availability, d’Harcourt remains coy, but is adamant about ensuring fair distribution between collectors, restaurants and top fine wine retailers.

In a nod to the past, Pol Roger Vinothèque bottles have been retro-fitted to mirror labels used long ago. It’s an important point for d’Harcourt to ensure that the new range is identified separately from recent releases.

The first cache of Pol Roger Vinothèque wines is coming to market now.

A first taste of Pol Roger’s Vinothèque range:

Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2000

• 100% Chardonnay (Oiry, Chouilly, Cramant, Avize and Oger)
• Harvest dates : 11th – 25th September
• Disgorgement date : October 2011
• Dosage : 8g/L

So fresh for this vintage and with just a hint of grilled pineapple and lemon curd on the nose. A round and broad wine with a creamy mouthfeel, makes it immediately appealing and effortless to drink. Just a slick of melted butter too. Long on the palate, elongated by a touch of bitterness.

Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2002

• 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from 20 Grands Crus and Premiers Crus in the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs regions
• Harvest dates : 12th – 28th September
• Disgorgement date : March 2013
• Dosage : 8g/L

An exotic wine revealing its ultimate self at the height of maturity. On the nose, toast, tropical fruits and minced pie moreishness set the scene for a richly layered and full-bodied wine. Zesty yuzu bides well with the nuances of honeyed development that builds with intensity, yet it feels fresh. A delicious gastronomic-style wine of uncommon beauty and a length that lingers.

Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2000

• 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay (20 Grands Crus and Premiers Crus in the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs regions)
• Harvest dates : 11th – 25th September
• Disgorgement date : October 2010 (magnums) and November 2011 (bottles)
• Dosage : 8g/L

A pronounced nose featuring marmalade and ginger spice. On the palate, a soft and creamy mousse. A beautifully integrated and full-bodied wine with mid-palate concentration, strong acid backbone and long length. Surely one of the best examples from this year after so long, post-disgorgement.

Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 1999

• Harvest dates: 19th September – 1st October
• Disgorgement date : July 2012 (magnums) and March 2013 (bottles)
• Dosage : 8g/L

A juicy and expressive wine led by grilled peaches, tarte tartin and just a hint of marzipan. A broadly executed palate deepens in concentration and reveals its rich layers underscored by unquestionable vibrancy. The length is long, concluding on a feeling of freshness and not at all cloying.

Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 1998

• Harvest dates : 10th September – 1st October
• Disgorgement date : October and November 2008
• Dosage : 8g/L

An incredible release of Sir Winston that goes to the very heart of what makes it so wonderful. This is a Champagne at the height of maturity yet it’s brighter than 1999. What’s so attractive is its bold energy, tension and deep concentration that trades on intense flavours akin to patisserie, mocha, marzipan and baked lemon. This is all delivered on a platter of silken and refined bubbles. An excellent wine.

Pol Roger Rosé Vintage 1999

• 50% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay from 20 Grands Crus and Premiers Crus in the Montagne de Reims, Grande Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs regions. 15% Pinot Noir was added
• Harvest dates : 19th September – 1st October
• Disgorgement date : April 2007
• Dosage : 8g/L

Loads of dried fruit and rosé petal character on the nose, also a little charcuterie. Excellent savoury umami deliciousness, a feeling of density, not without some impressive freshness. A long and delicious finish punctuated by salinity.

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