Posted by: Guest editor - Cassidy Dart on April 19th, 2010

We were lucky to have Cassidy Dart from Pol Roger spend some time at Flowers HQ for a tasting session of some of their Champagnes  (yep, it was a good afternoon!).  Champagne is available on Arena Flowers, so it was great to have Cassidy share some of his insight into production of Champagne and some of the anecdotes related to Pol Roger (traditionally, Wintson Churchill’s favourite Champagne).

Cassidy was kind enough to send over his tasting notes.

Both champagne and flowers have long been touted as the ultimate in celebration, thus it was about time that the Arena Flowers team have a little tutored Pol Roger Champagne tasting, as Arena Flowers has been a Pol Roger fan since they started back in 2006.

The plan was to taste three champagnes from Pol Roger; the Brut NV, Vintage 2000 and Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 1998.

After a little explanation of a few facts about the Champagne region (a total area of 35,000 hectares, which an annual total production of about 330 million bottles for the world) and a brief history of Pol Roger (one of the very few family owned Grand Marques left in Champagne) it was onto the most important part – tasting the Champagnes. Here are our tasting notes from the day:

Pol Roger Brut NV Champagne

Fresh, clean biscuity and apple nose – refined and elegant. It is dry, but not overly acidic, with a lovely interplay of clean fruit flavour, biscuity depth of flavour and a refreshing and long finsh. Extremely drinkable and enjoyable with balance and elegance being the defining features. So very easy to drink. Aged for at least 3 years before being disgorged.

Pol Roger Brut Reserve Champagne

Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2000

Immediate step up on the aromas; more brioche, red fruits and greater intensity. On the palate it is more biscuity, bready and much greater depth and flavour. Very long finish with the impression that it will keep over time. In fact it turns out that Pol Roger Vintage is in fact very long lived (1914 is a real favourite!).

Pol Roger Brut Vintage Champagne

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 1998
This is the prestige cuvée from Pol Roger, their top champagne named after their most famous devotee (who reportedly drunk over 10,000 bottles of Pol Roger in his lifetime- though he would have drunk Vintage; with his preferred vintages being the 1921, 1928 and 1945). This is truly a wine of Churchillean proportion; lots of body, texture and real power to it. Complex, magnificent and very long – made in the style that Churchill himself preferred; robust, mature and one to age, or if enjoyed now with the finest cuisine (Lobster anyone?).

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Vintage Champagne

Thank you Cassidy for coming over.  It was a very fine way to spend an afternoon at work – sipping Champagne. My favourite part was learning about the remuers who walk the Pol Roger cellars daily, turning each bottle a small fraction at a time.

Filed under: General, Guest Posts on April 19th, 2010

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