Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 1999
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The friendship between Champagne Pol Roger and Sir Winston Churchill dates back to the 1928 vintage of Pol Roger. This deep friendship continued until his death and created a deep link between the two families. Among his array of famous quotes, Sir Churchill once called Pol Roger "the world's most drinkable address".
To commemorate this friendship, Pol Roger produced the premiere release of "Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill" with the 1975 vintage, which was produced in magnum only and released in 1984. Since then, 11 vintages have been produced with 1999 being the 12th.
Vinification: While the exact blend is a family secret, it is believed that the wine is blended to meet the late Churchill's approval and is most likely a majority of Pinot Noir. Grapes are sourced from old vines located exclusively in Grand Cru vineyards. Like all Pol Roger Champagnes this cuvée is fermented in stainless steel at very low temperatures. The wine is aged in the deepest portions of the Pol Roger cellars for an average of 10 years prior to release.
Maturation in the deep cellars of Pol Roger results in a wine with a very fine mousse and intense and extraordinarily complex layers of fruit, exotic spice and minerality.
With immense pride and joy, Pol Roger created this prestige cuvée to honor Sir Winston and is made in a style of which he would approve. The precise blend is a family secret and is produced only in the finest vintages. This cuvée was composed of grapes from the same plots that were sourced to produce Churchill’s favorite vintages, such as the excellent 1928. “SWC” has been called the “greatest luxury cuvée of modern times.”
Notes
The 1999 vintage was defined by above normal temperatures and heavy rains that continued through the harvest in mid-September. Fortunately the added rainfall did not effect quality and harvest resulted in a very healthy crop with just slightly above average yields.
The above average yields allowed cellar master Dominique Petit to rigorous selections in the cellar which has in the end resulted in a stunning vintage of Cuvée Winston Churchill. The wine is intense on the palate, rich and laced with driving acidity from beginning to end.
"Intense, yellow gold, sparkling with a myriad of fi ne bubbles – the Pol
Roger trade-mark. Th e nose is structured, forceful but with subtle mineral
notes and hints of lemon, white pepper and ginger. Mouth filling, robust and powerful. Touches of minerality, even saltiness, with balance, structure and fi nesse. A long, lingering finish." -Laurent D'Harcourt
Blend: Proprietary secret: 100%
Recent Press
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Score: 95 Points
The Tasting Panel
Author: Anthony Dias Blue
Date: Tuesday, July 31, 2012"Toasty and ripe with deep, elegant fruit and creamy texture; complex and rich with finesse and lovely generous style."
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The Black Dress Traveler
Author: Wanda Mann
Date: Thursday, May 31, 2012"The friendship between Champagne Pol Roger and Sir Winston Churchill dates back to the 1928 vintage and he called Pol Roger "the world's most drinkable address." The exact blend of the Cuve Sir Winston Churchill is a family secret but sources say Pinot Noir is probably the dominant grape. Rich, bold, and balanced - this Champagne tastes like power!"
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Newark Star Ledger
Author: John Foy
Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2011"Winston Churchill is as full bodied as the man for which it is named. It has explosive fruit and brioche aromas, and is as rich as any wine you'll ever drink, with perfect balance and astounding aging potential. This is a wine drinker's Champagne. I love it."
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Score: 93 Points
Wine Spectator
Author: Alison Napjus
Date: Thursday, December 15, 2011"Subtle, with hints of ripe apple, almond paste, white peach and honey. There's a smoky mineral baseline, and though well- integrated the acidity is lightly chalky on the fine- grained palate."
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Score: 96 Points
Wine Enthusiast
Author: Roger Voss
Date: Thursday, December 1, 2011"With its richness and great density of flavor, this is always a great Champagne. This 1999 is rounder than some vintages, less mineral, while still retaining the balance between white fruit and toast. It is still young, still slightly textured and ageworthy over several years."
Grade: Cellar Selection -
Score: 92 Points
Wine & Spirits
Author: Joshua Greene
Date: Thursday, December 1, 2011"Complex and mature, this has a pear nectar-like richness as well as fresher apple and lemon curd notes. It finishes with the toasty, pastry crust scent of an almond tart. A firm and creamy Champagne to serve with mousse truffee."
Grade: Year's Best 2011 -
Score: 94 Points
International Wine Cellar
Author: Josh Raynolds
Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2011"Pale yellow-gold. Deep, pungent nose offers an array of orchard and citrus fruit qualities, along with notes of iodine, minerals and toasty lees. Chewy and impressively concentrated, with excellent clarity to its pear and orange flavors. The toasty quality gains strength with air and carries through an impressively long, spicy, floral finish. Very impressive, especially for a release from what is widely considered a so-so vintage for Champagne"
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Terroirist
Author: Steven Washuta
Date: Friday, November 4, 2011"The wine has a nutty, toasty, spicy complexity that Ive rarely encountered and is hard to replace. For anyone looking for something truly special for the requisite holiday Champagne consumption this will be my recommendation."
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Wall Street Journal
Author: Jay McInerney
Date: Friday, September 30, 2011"...more approachable on release than its predecessors, although still a big, powerful bubbly. Its a food wine, really."
Grade: "Pol Roger, the Connoisseur's Champagne" -
Score: 94 Points
The Wine Advocate
Author: Antonio Galloni
Date: Friday, December 24, 2010"The 1999 Brut Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill, from magnum, is wonderfully rich and expansive, proving yet again just how well suited the big bottle is to Champagne. Smoke, peaches, mint and flowers are just some of the nuances that flow from this textured kaleidoscopic Champagne. The wine continues to gain focus and breadth through to the enticing, brilliant finish. Disgorged July, 2009."
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Score: 93 Points
International Wine Cellar
Author: Stephan Tanzer
Date: Wednesday, December 1, 2010"Bright yellow-gold. An exotically perfumed bouquet displays scents of dried pear, acacia honey, toasted almond, white flowers and smoky lees. Lush and creamy in texture, offering hefty citrus and orchard fruit flavors braced by tangy minerality. The honey and smoke notes linger on the spicy, focused, very long finish. This is drinking well now but has the structure and energy to age."
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Score: 92 Points
Wine Spectator Insider
Author: Unlisted
Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2010"Hints of nut and honey underscore flavors of lemon meringue, citrus peel, smoke and toast in this vivacious Champagne, which is driven by firm acidity, leading to a lingering, spicy finish. Drink now through 2020."
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