POL ROGER Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2009 Bottle

Description

Pol Roger’s prestige cuvée, created in homage to their most famous and loyal patron, Sir Winston Churchill, is crafted to reflect the qualities he preferred in his Champagne: robustness, a full-bodied character, and relative maturity. While the exact grape blend remains a closely guarded family secret, it is invariably dominated by Pinot Noir, which provides structure and power, while a smaller proportion of Chardonnay lends elegance and finesse.

The 2009 vintage, a year characterised by glorious sunshine and a warm harvest, has yielded a brilliantly generous and expressive iteration of this iconic cuvée. In the glass, it radiates a deep golden hue, opening with a complex, opulent bouquet. Aromas of baked apple, toasted brioche, and roasted almonds mingle beautifully with richer notes of acacia honey, nougat, and a delicate hint of sweet spice.

On the palate, it is magnificently weighted and creamy, showcasing a luxurious, mouth-filling texture supported by a remarkably fine, persistent mousse. Despite its inherent richness and power, a beautifully integrated spine of citrus acidity ensures impeccable balance and vitality. The finish is exceptionally long, nutty, and subtly savoury, confirming its status as a monumental Champagne of incredible depth and longevity.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 96
Drink Date: 2022 - 2040
A few years after its disgorgment now, the 2009 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill has digested its dosage and is beginning to offer up real complexity. Mingling aromas of freshly baked bread, honeycomb, crisp peach, pear and subtle hints of dried fruits, it's medium to full-bodied, sapid and vinous, with bright acids, a pearly mousse and a long, saline finish. Exhibiting more structure than was apparent on release, this has always been a very approachable Churchill, yet it is really benefiting from age.

VINOUS 94
Drinking window: 2022 - 2039
The 2009 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is a heady, explosive Champagne. Ample and deep, the Churchill is so expressive today. Apricot, tangerine oil, mint, baked apple tart and spice all flesh out. I would give the 2009 at least a year or two in bottle, as it is a bit tight at this stage. Even so, time in the glass brings out a feeling of raw power that is impossible to miss.

DECANTER 93
Drinking Window: 2020 - 2035
Bright and lustrous with playful bubbles and a soft mousse, the wine is immediately beguiling, seductive and more approachable and charming than its immediate forebear (2008). The nose waltzes through the Viennese patisserie and then into the orchard, where red apples rejoin citric rigour and draw the taster in. The ripeness of the vintage translates into a rich, creamy texture, with energy and warmth all underwritten by a dominant but not overly domineering Pinot Noir, its savoury notes destined to take control after this first effervescent flush of youth. The finish is pure and long. A forward and confident SWC, and one to enjoy in relative youth.

Boxed.