Description & Production
The 2018 Sir Winston Churchill cuvée from Pol Roger is a prestigious champagne, produced exclusively from Grands Crus grapes.
It is a champagne with notes of dried apricot, blond tobacco, and candied citrus, with a vinous and full-bodied texture on the palate.
Its structured body and assertive finish make it a natural companion for grand gourmet dinners.
Crafted according to the preferences of its illustrious namesake, this exclusive cuvée embodies the unparalleled expertise of a family-owned house in Épernay, whose releases remain as rare as they are highly anticipated.
The Terroir
Ambonnay and Bouzy provide the Pinot Noir for the blend, two Grand Cru villages in the Montagne de Reims renowned for the concentration and structure of their black grapes.
The Côte des Blancs contributes the Chardonnay from Cramant and Mesnil-sur-Oger, two crus whose chalky subsoils impart a characteristic mineral tension.
The thirty-year-old vines draw their nutrients deep from this limestone bedrock, which ensures natural drainage and imparts a distinctive saline character to the grapes.
The winemaking process
The must is immediately separated upon arrival at the winery. The winery uses a double cold settling process to obtain perfectly clear juice before fermentation.
Each vintage ferments separately under the supervision of cellar master Damien Cambres, thereby preserving the geographical identity of each terroir.
The bottles age for a decade on racks (in contact with their yeast lees) in the historic cellars that extend thirty-three meters beneath the Avenue de Champagne. This long aging period develops the autolytic aromas—brioche, toast, pastry—characteristic of great vintage wines.
Manual riddling on racks precedes traditional disgorgement. The dosage amounts to seven grams per liter, added via a Brut expedition liqueur. The bottles then rest for an additional six months before shipment.
The 2018 vintage
The wine-growing year began with a very rainy winter, followed by a sunny spring that triggered early flowering in June.
The chalky slopes benefited from a rapid growing cycle: the hot, dry summer thinned out the foliage and allowed the red grapes to develop high potential alcohol levels.
The harvest took place under clear skies in late August. The light-colored grapes harvested maintained a particularly low pH, preserving the crisp, lively character of the press juices.
The final blend reflects the richness of this harvest: full-bodied white wines, generous in texture, without sacrificing freshness.
Tasting
Color
The color is a brilliant gold with coppery highlights. Delicate effervescence rises through the glass in regular, persistent strands, a sign of a long rest on the lees. The disc displays a luminous clarity at the edges.
Nose
The nose opens with a subtle aromatic patina, which gradually unfolds with aeration. Notes of candied citrus emerge at the forefront, followed by hints of sweet spices and a touch of hawthorn that defines the floral bouquet.
Palate
The attack on the palate is clean and vibrant. The structure combines mineral tension with pastry-like aromas, a legacy of the long aging on lees. Notes of blood orange energize the mid-palate, extended by a hint of raspberry. The chalky finish lingers long on the tongue.
Pairing Suggestions
- Gougères with aged Comté
- Foie gras toast
- Blinis with smoked salmon
- Roast chicken with porcini mushrooms
- Braised veal sweetbreads
- Turbot with hollandaise sauce
- Aged Chaource
- Thin apricot tart
- 24-month-aged Parmesan
Expert Review: Plus de Bulles
Why do I love it?
What strikes me about this cuvée is its vibrant tension combined with a hint of maturity. I loved the nose of white flowers and blond tobacco, leading to a palate of blood orange and pastry.
My recommendation
Serve this cuvée at 8–10 °C in a wine glass to allow its complex structure to fully express itself.
Tips
How should this champagne be stored?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75cl) in reinforced shipping boxes specially designed for transporting champagne.
Upon receipt, we recommend storing the bottle horizontally, away from light.
Ideally in a cellar, but in any case in a cool, not overly dry place with a relatively stable temperature.
Aging potential
The 2018 Sir Winston Churchill cuvée from Pol Roger has an estimated aging potential of two decades. Its natural acidity provides structure to this long aging process.
- Through 2028: lively tension supports notes of fresh zest and vibrant citrus.
- From 2029 onward: the yeasts (autolysis) release pastry-like aromas of brioche and cream.
- Around 2038: over the years, hints of undergrowth and blond tobacco enrich the palette.
Serving suggestions
Gently chill the bottle in an ice bucket.
Serve this wine at a temperature of 11 degrees.
A glass with a wide bowl promotes the aeration of aromas and fully releases the wine’s bouquet. Avoid flutes that are too narrow.
Let the wine breathe in the glass for a few minutes to allow the bouquet to unfold.
Fun fact about this vintage
This historic vintage was created in 1975 to mark the tenth anniversary of the leader’s passing.
This bottle symbolizes the friendship between Odette Pol-Roger and Winston Churchill. The family crafts the wine according to the honoree’s preferences, with a stylistic signature pushed to its absolute peak.
This foundational identity also shapes the iconic style of Pol Roger Brut Réserve, although the intensity here is taken to a whole new level.
Also worth discovering: a great vintage rosé champagne from the house.
