Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs Vintage 2015.

Champagne’s geographical location engenders unpredictable weather. For this reason, since their foundation in 1849 Pol Roger has observed the tradition of not releasing a vintage-dated Champagne unless the climatic conditions permit the production of grapes of outstanding ripeness. A vintage Champagne must, above all else, be a balanced Champagne. This balance depends on the right blend of healthy grapes, a good potential alcohol and correct acidity. The first criterion for declaring a vintage wine is its capacity to age. Devotees who have the patience to age their Champagnes are rewarded with a more complex and richer wine.

THE STORY OF THE VINTAGE: The year began with one of the warmer and wetter winters of the past 10 years, with high instances of sunshine in February and March. This developed into a particularly hot April where budbreak occurred in the middle of the month, and troubling drought-like conditions setting in from mid-May to mid-August.

A blessing of two to three weeks’ worth of rain helped plump the grapes out and assuage the till-then stifling vintage. With some worries of rot, the weather eventually turned delightfully clear, sunny and cool in September. The threat of rot contained, harvest took place from 2nd to 18th September with a must potential of 10.4% ABV, and total acidity 7.1 gH2SO4/L.

A unique vintage as a result of the warmth and dryness, the resulting Champagne is expressive and full of freshness.

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 until final blending. The wine undergoes a full malolactic fermentation. 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. Aging in the cellars lasts at least six years, with the UK market benefitting from an extra six months. The very fine and persistent mousse for which Pol Roger is renowned owes much to these deep, cool and damp cellars.

THE CUVÉE: The 2015 Brut Blanc de Blancs is exclusively made from Chardonnay grapes selected from the Grands Crus of the Côte des Blancs: Oiry, Chouilly, Cramant, Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Produced in limited quantities, this Cuvée has been aged for 6 years in our cellars before being released onto the market.

TASTING NOTES: The Blanc de Blancs 2015 is notable for its very pale gold hue, delicately tinged with green tints and set off by a steady bead of fine bubbles. The first nose is expressive and powerful, offering up an array of fragrances blending lemon zest and pastry.

After breathing, the wine exudes complex aromas of mocha and cocoa, followed by notes of confectionery and fresh butter combined with the scent of orange zest with a remarkable elegance. The palate reveals buttery notes with hints of patisserie. Hazelnut liqueur and toasted overtones then gradually come through to complete this aromatic profile, which is imbued with a lovely tangy freshness.

This is a rich, luscious champagne combining power and finesse.