Champagne Pol Roger
Champagne Pol Roger
#PROPERTY: History & Terroir
History Champagne Pol Roger
In January 1849, due to his father's serious illness, Pol Roger was forced to start his own business. As early as 1855, Pol Roger began to concentrate on producing brut champagne, aware of the English market's preference for this type of champagne.
When Pol Roger died in 1899, his sons Maurice and Georges took over the reins of the House, which already enjoyed an indisputable reputation for quality.
However, tragedy struck on February 23, 1900, when certain cellars and buildings collapsed, resulting in the loss of five hundred barrels and one and a half million bottles. Despite this ordeal, thanks to the determination of its sons, the company quickly bounced back. Exports continued to grow, attracting numerous royal personalities and prestigious establishments to the Champs-Élysées.
The First World War briefly interrupted this expansion, but after the conflict, despite challenges such as Prohibition in the United States and revolution in Russia, Pol Roger champagnes gained in international popularity, enabling the House to continue its development. The founding family retained direct control over the company, preserving its identity as it grew.
By 1955, a significant improvement in sales was evident, accompanied by a diversification of the wine range, including the introduction of a vintage rosé in 1961 and a special vintage blanc de blancs a few years later.
During the Second World War, Winston Churchill, then British Prime Minister, struck up a close friendship with Odette Pol Roger and her family. Winston Churchill became an emblematic figure for the House, calling its wines "the most delectable address in the world". The famous "Sir Winston Churchill" cuvée was created in 1975 and unveiled with great fanfare at Blenheim Palace, available only in magnum format.
In 2001, the slightly sweeter "Rich" cuvée was launched, accompanied by an overhaul of the logo and bottle design, aimed at greater elegance and distinction.
In 2007, the cuvée "Pure", Extra Brut, was added to the range. The House has constantly reinforced the quality of its supplies, relying on a 92-hectare vineyard.
Between 2001 and 2011, major renovations were undertaken to modernize the production facilities, enabling cellar master Dominique Petit to vinify cuvées of remarkable consistency and homogeneity. Between 2011 and 2013, renovation work was also carried out to modernize the 19th-century family home on rue Winston Churchill in Épernay. Finally, in April 2018, Damien Cambres took over from Dominique Petit as the Maison's cellar master, after 19 years of service.
Pol Roger Champagne House
The House of champagne Pol Rogerfounded in 1849 by a Champagne maker of the same name, boasts a vineyard of some 100 hectares located in some of the world's finest terroirs, including Cramant, Ambonnay, Mareuil and many others. The Pol Roger range, which proudly bears the name of the Pol Roger Champagne House, is based on a generous, elegant and fine style, reflecting the excellence and expertise of the Pol Roger Champagne House.
The Brut Réserve from the Pol Roger Champagne House is described by the Revue du Vin de France Guide as the Best Brut from a Grande Maison. It is distinguished by its beautiful fruitiness and roundness, embodying the very essence of the Pol Roger Champagne House.
A natural variation of this excellence is the Cuvée Pure from the Maison de Champagne Pol Roger, offering saline notes that enchant the finest palates.
For those who appreciate a suave, gourmet champagne, the Cuvée Rich from the Maison de Champagne Pol Roger is a demi-sec that will satisfy lovers of sweets.
Cuvées millésimées de la Maison de champagne Pol Roger are the embodiment of the House's excellence, demonstrating remarkable precision and finesse.
Finally, the Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill from the Pol Roger Champagne House, one of the world's finest champagnes, displays an extraordinary style, rich and complex, which alone embodies the exceptionality of the Pol Roger Champagne House.
Pol Roger Epernay
Pol Roger, with its resolutely British-style champagnes, embodies elegance and tradition in the world of champagne. Its range, which includes the famous Brut Réserve, the brand's emblem, and the prestigious Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, stands out for its quality and distinctive character. The house of Pol Roger stands out significantly within the Champagne region.
One of the house's distinctive features is its human-scale, almost artisanal, production of only around 1.6 million bottles a year. This limited production contrasts with the behemoths of Champagne, highlighting Pol Roger's quest for quality and perfection.
Another aspect that testifies to the house's commitment to quality is the fact that all bottles are stirred by hand. Hand stirring is an essential process in champagne production, enabling the clarity and finesse characteristic of Pol Roger cuvées to be achieved. The house even employs four of the twelve rare full-time professional riddlers still active in the region.
Pol Roger is also distinguished by its family status. Nearly 95% of the house is family-owned, which has become a rarity in the world of major champagne houses, many of which are listed on the stock exchange. With around fifty shareholders, the house retains an atmosphere of conviviality and family commitment. Annual general meetings are more like family reunions than corporate meetings.
Finally, Pol Roger's fourth-place ranking in the 2022 list of the world's 30 most admired Champagne brands attests to its outstanding reputation in the Champagne industry. This recognition testifies to the long history of success and consistent quality of its cuvées, as well as to its commitment to preserving craftsmanship and tradition in champagne production.
Paul Roger or Pol Roger?
"Paul Roger" is an incorrect spelling. The correct spelling is "Pol Roger." This is the name of the famous French champagne house.
#WINES FROM THE DOMAIN: Appellations and Cuvées
The Champagne appellation
Champagne is renowned for its special production method called the méthode champenoise or méthode traditionnelle. This involves a second fermentation in the bottle, creating the wine's emblematic bubbles. The main grape varieties used to produce Champagne include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
Discover our Champagne selection
What are the best Pol Roger champagnes?
La Pol Roger House offers a wide range of cuvées, each one the source of different declinations. The main Pol Roger champagne cuvées include :
- Champagne Pol Roger Réserve Brut
- Champagne Pol Roger Pure Extra brut
- Champagne Pol Roger Rich Demi sec
- Champagne Pol Roger Brut Vintage
- Champagne Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs Vintage
- Champagne Pol Roger Rosé Vintage
- Champagne Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
All you need to know about these cuvées
Non-vintage cuvées
Pol Roger Réserve Brut, elegant and sophisticated, is the ideal champagne for all occasions. This Brut Réserve is the fruit of a balanced blend of the three Champagne grape varieties - pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay - from 30 different crus. To make this cuvée, we use 25% reserve wines.
Pol Roger Pure Extra Brut has been designed to enrich the selection of Pol Roger champagnes, offering a wine in its most authentic state. This non-dosed champagne is the result of a meticulous blend of the three Champagne grape varieties, combined in equal proportions, and aged for at least four years to reach its peak.
Pol Roger Rich Demi-sec is the fruit of a harmoniously balanced blend of the three Champagne grape varieties - pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay - from 30 different crus. Launched in 2001, this cuvée is midway between dry and semi-dry, making it an ideal companion not only for desserts, but also for those who appreciate a champagne with a slightly sweet taste. The style of Cuvée Rich is characterized by the balance between sugar and natural acidity, giving it perfect harmony on the palate.
Vintage cuvées
Pol Roger Brut Vintage is a vintage brut champagne made with 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, from 20 Grands Crus and Premiers Crus from the hillsides of Épernay, on the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs. This cuvée is produced in limited quantities and matured in cellars 33 meters deep before being released.
Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs Vintage is a champagne made exclusively from Chardonnays selected from the great growths of the "Côte des Blancs", including Oiry, Chouilly, Cramant, Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. This cuvée, produced in limited quantities, was aged for 6 years in our cellars before being released on the market.
Pol Roger Brut Rosé Vintage is based on the blend of its Brut Vintage (60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay). To this base, Pol Roger adds, before bottling and second fermentation, around 15% red wine (Pinot Noir) from the best vintages of the "Montagne de Reims". Produced in limited quantities, Brut Rosé Vintage 2018 was aged in Pol Roger's 33-meter-deep cellars before being released.
Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill, a formidable prestige cuvée from Maison Pol Roger, is a tribute to Sir Winston Churchill, celebrating the qualities he cherished in Champagne: robustness, structure and maturity. Made exclusively from the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Grands Crus of his time, it is reserved for the best vintages, highlighting the structure of Pinot Noir and the elegance of Chardonnay, in keeping with Churchill's simple tastes.
What was Winston Churchill's favorite champagne?
Winston Churchill's favorite champagne was Pol Roger. He was a great fan of this champagne house, and is notably famous for having said: "In wartime, I would say that Pol Roger champagne is essential". Churchill was so attached to this brand that a special cuvée was created in his honor, the "Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill", which has become one of the world's most renowned prestige cuvées.
How much does Pol Roger champagne cost?
The price of a Pol Roger champagne varies according to cuvée and vintage. The most popular cuvées are generally available at prices ranging from 40 to 70 euros for a bottle.
#IN BRIEF: Figures
Region: Champagne
Appellation: Champagne
Surface area: 92 Hectares
Red grape varieties: Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
White grape varieties: Chardonnay
Vine growing methods : Raisonnée