Keep Partying With Pol Roger Brut Reserve

Plenty of folks ring in the New Year with a bottle of top quality bubbly. But I'm willing to bet that not many of us continue celebrating with this libation throughout the year. I realize Champagne isn't exactly a budget beverage but it would be a shame to not also include it at your next birthday, reunion, or Thanksgiving feast. Especially when it's Pol Roger Brut Reserve averaging no more than $40 a bottle. Remarkably a favorite with Winston Churchill as well as a staple Champagne with the royal family over the years, this “white foil” vintage is a blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay.

With over 160 years making Champagne under their belts, the Pol Roger family is one of only a few Grande Marque Champagne houses that remain family owned and operated. They own close to 50% of the vineyards that supply pruduction needs and once blended each bottle is hand riddled in the cellars deep below Epernay chateau. In the words of Jean-Paul Kauffman in his book Voyage en Champagne, “Pol Roger is a gentleman's Champagne. This refinement reflects a whole lifestyle...a soul created by the union of a family's spirit and the character of a vineyard.”

My tasting commenced with admiring this Champagne's distinct pale gold with a very fine bead on the pour. Upon sipping, a distinct nutty sharp cheese blasts through the effervescence as it zings the palate. Limey peach with light melon undertones...dry, fruity, and complex on the finish. Great with desserts and light unspiced hors d'oeuvres.

Photo courtesy of Steve Mirsky. Coverage made possible by participating in a sponsored tasting