Department > Champagne Brands > Pol Roger > Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2012 Jeroboam (3 ltr)
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2012 Jeroboam (3 ltr)
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2012 Jeroboam (3 ltr)
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2012 Jeroboam (3 ltr)

Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2012 Jeroboam (3 ltr)

Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2012 Jeroboam (3 ltr)

£2,625.00

NEW RELEASE & IN STOCK
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    Overview

    Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2012 Jeroboam


    Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2009 and 2012 in Jeroboam
    In 2021, Champagne Pol Roger is due to release a small number of Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2009 and 2012 in Jeroboam; just 21 and 38 respectively are destined for the UK market.

    The Jeroboam owes its name to two Kings of Israel, the first of whom is regarded as the founder of the Kingdom of Israel. You can see why; this 3-litre bottle is indeed majestic in size.

    These are only the third and fourth release of their Prestige Cuvée, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, in Jeroboam, following the 1988 and 1999: the ultimate marriage of quality and quantity. Across all four vintages, just in excess of 500 jeroboams have ever been produced. The vintage jeroboams are hand-labelled and individually numbered, the 2009 from 1 - 109 and the 2012 from 1 - 198.

    In Champagne, the jeroboam is the largest format (3l) where the secondary fermentation takes place in bottle. Champagne enthusiasts have long championed the merits of the jeroboam; the larger the format, the longer the fermentation, the greater the complexity. 

    Compared to a standard bottle, the size of the aperture relative to the volume of liquid is much smaller and therefore, less oxidation occurs, and the wine retains greater freshness. The confluence of this prized format with this wine promises to be exceptional, with remarkable complexity and the capacity to age for 20 years and beyond.
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    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. Pinot Noir predominates, providing structure, breadth and robustness whilst Chardonnay contributes elegance, finesse and subtlety. Composed exclusively of grapes sourced from Grands Crus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards which were already under vine during Churchill's lifetime

    2009 was humid and wet in spring and then warm and dry in August and September, the optimal conditions for grape ripening. At harvest the grapes were perfect. It was a particularly good year for pinot noir and therefore the blend used even less chardonnay than usual to allow the pinot noir to express itself, consequently this wine has even greater body.

    In 2012 the winter was largely mild and dry, however there was a cold snap at the beginning of February. Following cool and rainy weather in early spring, unseasonal warm weather prevailed in late March, favouring an advanced budbreak. This was followed in turn by rain, mild weather and five spells of frost in April and May. Hot, sunny weather from late July through to the first days of September, ensured that the grapes reached an ideal maturity. The yields were low, but the grapes were in excellent health.

    The 2009 and 2012 represent the 18th and 19th vintage of Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, the first was 1975 and these, harvested 34 and 37 years later, uphold the family's assurance that they will only make Churchill in truly outstanding years.

    Tasting Notes:
    Broad and impressive nose, with a distinctive Pinot Noir character that is so familiar of the Cuvée. Notes of Pink Lady apples, Manuka honey and lightly toasted hazelnuts. The texture is broad, as is so often found with Churchill due to the extended time on the lees, but paired back with taut, mineral and precise acidity. The contrast between richness and acidity helps round the wine and gives immediate pleasure, but will grow in complexity over the years for those who can resist.

    Sir Winston Churchill  and Champagne Pol Roger - A Lasting Friendship:
    The relationship between Champagne Pol Roger and Sir Winston Churchill dates back to a providential meeting at a luncheon given by the British Ambassador to France some months after the liberation of Paris at which was served the sumptuous 1928 vintage of Pol Roger. 

    Attending the lunch was the beautiful Odette Pol-Roger as well as the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, with whom she struck up an instant rapport. A friendship was born which continued until Churchill's death, creating links between the Pol-Roger and Churchill families which are still as strong to this day. The pressures of his post sadly prevented Churchill ever paying a visit to 44 Avenue de Champagne, the home of Champagne Pol Roger, but he nonetheless proclaimed it "the most drinkable address in the world". As recompense for breaking his promise to visit he sent Odette a copy of his Memoirs inscribed "Cuvée de Réserve, mise en bouteille au Château de Chartwell". He even named one of his racehorses "Pol Roger" and the filly strode to victory at Kempton Park in 1953, Coronation Year.

    The Story of The Vintage:
    On the whole winter was mild and dry, however there was a cold snap at the beginning of February. Following cool and rainy weather in early spring, unseasonal warm weather prevailed in late March, favouring an advanced budbreak.

    This was followed in turn by rain, mild weather and five spells of frost in April and May, of which two gave cause for concern. Furthermore, some vineyards were hit by hail on a number of occasions. These climatic challenges made for great variation in the development of the grapes.

    Hot, sunny weather from late July through to the first days of September, ensured that the grapes reached an ideal maturity. The yields were low, but the grapes were in excellent health. 
    Harvesting lasted from 10th to 26th September.

    The 2012 crop showed a potential average alcohol content of 10.6° and a total acidity of 7.8 g/l H2SO4.

    Vinification and Maturation:
    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 separate. 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.

    Assemblage: 
    Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

    Technical Data:
    Dosage: 7gr/l
    Available : 75cl bottle, 150cl magnum, 300cl jeroboam

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