The Pol Roger Winston Churhill 1999 is clear yellow-gold in colour, the wine is overt and generous with hints of fresh butter, nuts and even tobacco. The initial freshness tends to give way to a more powerful range of deeper aromas such as liquorice, wood and leather and reveals the great complexity which is a hallmark of the cuvee. Ideal as an accompaniment to roasted game.

The champagne house was established in 1849 and remains family-owned and proudly independent to this day. The history and spirit of the company mirrors that of the family who bear the same name: a respect for nature, a devotion to quality and a certain joie de vivre.

Sir Winston Churchill was Pol Roger's most illustrious devotee and customer. This champagne is made in his honour. The composition of the blend is a closely guarded family secret but from tasting it is likely that the champagne features about 70-80% Pinot Noir with the remainder made up from Chardonnay. The grapes are all from Grand Cru vineyards which were under vine during Churchill's lifetime and it is only ever made in the very best vintages. It is made in a style which Churchill himself favoured: robust, mature and long-lived.

The “Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill”
Champagne Pol Roger created their Prestige Cuvée in homage to Sir Winston Churchill mindful of the qualities that he sought in his champagne: robustness, a full-bodied character and relative maturity.

The exact blend is a closely guarded family secret but it is undeniable that the composition would meet with the approval of the man to whom it is dedicated: “My tastes are simple, I am easily satisfied with the best”. Pinot Noir predominates, providing structure, breadth and robustness whilst Chardonnay contributes elegance, finesse and subtlety.

Composed exclusively of grapes sourced from Grand Cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards which were already under vine during Churchill’s lifetime, “Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill” is only made in the very best vintages and is always released later than the other vintage dated Champagnes from Pol Roger; marking Churchill’s appreciation for older wines.

Previous vintages of the Cuvee
The first “Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill” was from the 1975 vintage and was released, in magnum only in 1984 with the launch taking place at Blenheim Palace. There followed 1979, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1998. The latest vintage, 1999 Pol Roger, is the twelfth and is released only after 10 years cellaring. Produced in very small quantities, it is available in 75cl bottle and magnum with a very limited release of jeroboams.

The story of the Sir Winston Churchill 1999 Pol Roger vintage.

1999 was characterised by temperatures on average 1.8°C above the norm and by heavier than normal rains throughout the growing cycle. Generally the season from May until the harvest passed without notable incident. Taking the region as a whole, the harvest began on 15th September and finished on 1st October. The rains that fell during the vendange, which were more than double the average, did not prevent the harvest from breaking records. The results were nonetheless exceptional, combining very healthy grapes from an abundant crop with good maturity and an average alcohol level of 9.9%.