Pol Roger is a rare Grande Marque that is more focused on growing value then on expanding production and there is not nearly enough produced, especially in the vintage range, to meet the demand. Furthermore, Great Britain and the former Commonwealth nations get a much more favorable allocation than the USA does. Pol Roger’s special relation to the UK dates back to 1877 when it received a Royal Warrant. This is all to say that it’s a very big deal whenever we can procure a sizable parcel of one of the firm’s vintage Crown Jewels– this exquisite 2015 Blanc de Blancs.
Pol Roger was founded in 1849 and since its inception, the winery has been dedicated to quality and craftsmanship, remaining family-owned through five generations. Along with Louis Roederer and Bollinger, Pol Roger is one of the last of the big family-owned producers. Pol Roger is famed for its Pinot Noir-based cuvées but long-time managing director Laurent d’Harcourt has been focusing more and more on Chardonnay for his vintage wines. The firm’s limited-production Blancs de Blancs has emerged as a rising star in the lineup, being overshadowed only by the firm’s sublime Cuvée Winston Churchill.
The 2015 Blanc de Blancs is another in a long line of triumphs and is a stunning example of Pol Roger’s dedication to quality measures. The 2015 Brut Blanc de Blancs is exclusively made from Chardonnays selected from the Grand Crus of the Côte des Blancs: Oiry, Chouilly, Cramant, Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. The grapes were meticulously handpicked, ensuring only the finest fruit was selected for this exceptional cuvée. The wine underwent a gentle pressing process, followed by fermentation in stainless steel and aging on its lees for a minimum of six years, allowing for complex flavors to develop. Though the winery is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art winemaking equipment, everything in the cellar, including riddling, is done by hand. The resulting Champagne is an ultra- refined expression of Chardonnay displaying a delicately persistent mousse, crisp acidity and harmonious balance.Notable critics have lauded the 2015 Brut Blanc de Blanc for its elegance and depth as the following reviews attest:
WINE ENTHUSIAST 94 POINTS – “Pure Chardonnay given a rich treatment has resulted in a Champagne that is now mature. The wine is ripe, its mineral edge fully integrated into the white fruit flavors.”
JAMES SUCKLING 94 POINTS – “So much bread dough on the nose, together with green-apple and pear undertones that follow through to a full body with soft, creamy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Subtle and polished. Drink now.”
