Pol Roger's 2018 Brut Vintage Jeroboam is a masterpiece, a monumental 3-liter format celebrating a sunny and generous vintage. This champagne embodies the House's inimitable style: a perfect alliance between the power of Pinot Noir and the elegance of Chardonnay. The Jeroboam format, ideal for very long aging, enhances the full-bodied texture and pastry notes of this exceptional year. It is the bottle for grand celebrations, offering freshness and complexity that are heightened tenfold by the magic of the large container.
The making of Pol Roger Vintage 2018
The House's traditional blend is followed to the letter: 60% Pinot Noir for structure and 40% Chardonnay for finesse. The grapes come exclusively from 20 Grands and Premiers Crus in the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs, guaranteeing elite raw materials. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats at low temperatures to preserve the fruit, followed by complete malolactic fermentation, which brings out the characteristic roundness. This Jeroboam is riddled by hand, a physical and technical feat perpetuated by the House's riddlers in the deep cellars of Epernay.
The Terroir
The selection of crus is rigorous: the Pinot Noirs come from the north and south slopes of the Montagne de Reims, bringing body and power. The Chardonnays, from the Côte des Blancs, offer a structuring acidity and floral elegance that is essential to the balance of the 2018 vintage.
Vinification
After double cold settling to ensure absolute purity of the juices, the wines ferment separately by vintage and grape variety. Aging on lees takes place in the deepest cellars of Epernay (33 meters underground), where the cool, constant temperature (9°C) promotes an extremely fine effervescence. The Jeroboam format allows for a unique interaction between the lees and the wine, developing more intense pastry and brioche aromas than in a bottle.
The 2018 vintage
2018 is a historic vintage in Champagne, marked by ideal weather conditions: a rainy winter followed by a hot, dry summer. This weather resulted in an abundant harvest with perfect ripeness. The resulting wine is rich, concentrated, and expressive, with sufficient structure to stand the test of time, particularly in this large format.
The majesty of the Jeroboam
The Jeroboam contains the equivalent of four bottles (3 liters), or about 24 to 30 flutes. It is the king of formats for aging: the ratio between the volume of wine and the surface area exposed to air is very low, which considerably slows down oxidation. The wine thus retains its youthfulness for longer while developing a complexity and patina that are unattainable in smaller formats.
Tasting the vintage
Color
The color is a pale, crystalline yellow, enlivened by a fine, persistent effervescence that forms an elegant cordon, typical of long aging in large formats.
Nose
The nose, subtle at first, opens up to reveal aromas of fresh fruit, pineapple, and white peach. With aeration, it reveals its full richness with notes of fresh butter, brioche, and pastry cream.
Palate
The attack is full and voluminous. The palate is marked by a round and fleshy texture, with assertive pastry flavors. The finish is long and structured, offering a beautiful tangy freshness with notes of citrus and lemon zest.
Serving suggestions
- Comté cheese gougères
- Foie gras toasts
- Tempura shrimp
- Poularde with cream sauce
- Turbot with hollandaise sauce
- Braised sweetbreads
- Lemon meringue pie
- Vanilla millefeuille
- Exotic fruit salad
Storage and serving tips
How to store this champagne?
This Jeroboam in a wooden case is designed for storage. It should be stored lying down in a dark, cool cellar (40-54°F) without vibrations. Be careful with its weight and handling: let it rest for a few days after transport before serving.
Aging potential
The 2018 vintage in Jeroboam has exceptional aging potential. Its drinking window extends over several decades:
- 2026–2032: The wine expresses its fruity fullness, pineapple notes, and lemony freshness.
- 2033–2042: It gains in smoothness, developing aromas of warm brioche, honey, and toasted almonds.
- From 2043 onwards: The Jeroboam enters its tertiary complexity phase, with notes of mocha and spices, while retaining an insolent youthfulness.
Serving suggestions
The ideal serving temperature is between 46°F and 54°F. Allow for a longer cooling time for this large volume. Serving a Jeroboam is a spectacular moment that requires skill; pour slowly into large white wine glasses to allow the wine to breathe.
Anecdote about this cuvée
The riddling of Jeroboams at Pol Roger is one of the last manual operations of its kind in Champagne. Due to the weight of the bottle (over 5kg when full) and the internal pressure, no machine can match the precision of the human hand in bringing the deposit down into the neck before disgorging. Each 2018 Jeroboam is therefore handled by the expert hands of a master riddler.
