Pol Roger, the founder of the renowned A.O.C. Champagne sparkling wine brand, made his inaugural sale in January 1849. Out of necessity rather than passion—his father being a notary who suffered from an incurable illness—the young Roger managed to carve a niche for himself in the competitive wine market. His journey was fraught with challenges: the collapse of the cellar, the two World Wars that halted exports... yet, none of these obstacles prevented his sparkling wines from being featured in the finest restaurants along the Champs-Élysées. Times have changed, of course, with the advent of fast food and the like. But should you be fortunate enough to stroll down this avenue and stop at one of its eateries, we highly recommend you seek out Pol Roger Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs.
Always embodying elegance and sophistication, Pol Roger Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs stands out as one of the most exquisite sparkling wines you'll encounter, crafted solely from the finest chardonnay grapes selected from the Grands Crus of the Côte de Blancs. To find these, one must venture to Oiry, Chouilly, Cramant, Avize, and Oger, to their chalky soils—particularly the cretaceous strata—which are highly porous and offer excellent drainage, allowing water to be easily retained. This terroir is particularly conducive to the chardonnay, imparting a freshness and fantastic qualities for prolonged aging. Perhaps this is why Pol Roger Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs can withstand over six years of maturation at a depth of 33 meters.
Pol Roger Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs is harvested by hand and swiftly transported to the winery, where it is gently pressed, applying very light pressures. Initially, a settling process takes place in the pressing center, allowing the must to clarify by decantation. Once all the particles and impurities in suspension have settled at the bottom of the tank, the must of Pol Roger Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs is transferred back to the vat room, where it will undergo a further 24 hours of cold settling. After this initial phase, once clarified, Pol Roger Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs is ready to ferment in thermoregulated stainless steel tanks, where malolactic fermentation will also take place. Following this, Pol Roger Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs is bottled and moved to the cellar, where it will age for six years. During this time, a secondary fermentation in the bottle occurs, and manual riddling of the bottles is necessary to ensure all the wine's surface is in contact with the lees at the bottom, which contribute structure and volume to the wine. After disgorgement (where these lees are removed) and dosage (where the expedition liqueur is added), Pol Roger Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs is aged for a further three months before finally being released for sale.
Whether on the Champs-Élysées or anywhere else in the world, always opt for Pol Roger Vintage Brut Blanc de Blancs. It's a guaranteed success.