Pol Roger - Champagne Vintage Brut 2016

Pol Roger takes extreme pride in more than 160 years producing some of the world’s finest Champagne. Founded in 1849, Pol Roger is one of only a few Grande Marque Champagne houses that remains family owned and operated.

Pol Roger owns close to 55% of the vineyards used for their Champagne production, a true rarity in this region of large firms. Their vineyard holdings equal to 92 hectares (225 acres). The balance of our sourcing comes from long term contracts with growers with whom we have worked for decades as if they were members of our “maison”. Using strict guidelines, grapes are sourced mainly from 1er and Grand Cru vineyards that rate at an average of 95 points on the Échelle des Crus classification system. (In each vintage, the Échelle des Crus system, or ladder of growths, operates on a percentile basis to fix grape prices of each cru, or delimited vineyard area in the Champagne appellation; Pol Roger’s vineyards, therefore, rank close to the highest quality possible among the Grande Marque Champagne houses).

Prior to final blending each lot is aged on its own, separated by village, vineyard, grower and grape variety. Once blended, each bottle of Champagne Pol Roger is aged and hand riddled in the 4.66 mile-long cellars under the Epernay château which are among the deepest (100 feet below ground) and coolest (48°F) cellars in champagne.

Deep and cool cellars provide perfect conditions for the “prise de mousse” (the development of the Champagne in bottle and the “finesse” of the “bead” or bubble) and for the long-ageing of our Champagne in bottle; in fact, all their Champagnes are aged longer than the legal requirement because doing so adds more complexity and fine bubbles in every bottle. In effect, each bottle of Cuvée Champagne is hand-made; 100% of Pol Roger Champagne is produced in its winery, nothing is outsourced. Controlled entirely from vineyard to bottle, Pol Roger Champagnes are the marriage of power and elegance.

The must undergoes two débourbages (settlings), one at the press house immediately after pressing and the second, a débourbage à froid, in stainless steel tanks at 6°C over a 24 hour period. A slow cool fermentation with the temperature kept under 18°C takes place in stainless steel with each variety and each village kept seperate. The wine undergoes a full malolactic-fermentation prior to final blending. Secondary fermentation takes place in bottle at 9°C in the deepest Pol Roger cellars (33 metres below street level) where the wine is kept until it undergoes remuage (riddling) by hand, a rarity in Champagne nowadays. The very fine and persistent mousse for which Pol Roger is renowned owes much to these deep, cool and damp cellars.

"A very elegant and silky vintage Champagne with a seamless harmony of candied citrus fruit, sushi ginger and dried cherry character with racy acidity and delicate minerality at the long, straight and refined finish. You don’t even think about how much or little dosage this has. Drink or hold." - 95 Points, James Suckling

"Based on 60% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, the 2016 Champagne Vintage Brut is released only after 6-7 years on the lees (sur latte). It pours a straw hue and displays a more expressive profile on opening, with notes of tangerine and fresh flowers, its red fruit coming through with fresh red raspberry and peppery spice. It’s medium-bodied and rounded through the palate, with excellent structure, powerful concentration, and a long finish. This has a refined yet powerful feel and will be a wine with significant longevity and slow maturation over the next 15-20 years. True to the house style, it has a sturdy backbone and is emblematic of a fantastic vintage champagne from Pol Roger. The mousse is pinpoint and rounded on the finish. Drink 2024-2040." - 95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

Producer: Pol Roger 

Country: France

Region: Champagne

Varietal: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

Appellation: Champagne

Vintage: 2016

Size: 750ml