Happy International Chardonnay Day (May 25th) and What is Blanc de Blancs Champagne

First of all Blanc de Blancs is a French term that means “white from whites”, and is used to designate Champagnes made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes.

Secondly – Champagne Geography – the key districts for Blanc de Blancs are the Côte des Blancs and Côte de Sézanne. The Côte des Blancs is particularly famous for its Chardonnay and yield the best examples of this style. The six grand cru villages include: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger and Oiry. In Champagne, unlike Burgundy, the grand cru classification is linked to its villages and not vineyards. The designation denotes not only the highest-quality grapes—but also, generally, those that command the highest prices.

Thirdly, the differences in aromas and flavors are attributable to terroir. For instance, the Côte de Sézanne tends to yield riper fruit, hence riper wines. Other differences are the result of winemaking techniques, the degree of dosage, and other variables.

A classic Blanc de Blancs is restrained and elegant when its young, yet with ageing, it develops a mouth-coating brioche richness that overlays an intense expression of fruitiness.

Blanc de blancs Champagne is vibrant in its acidity it wants nothing more than to throw itself into comfort foods, seafood, and fried foods.

Producers include Salon, Billecart-Salmon, Jacques Selosse, Dom Ruinart, Krug, Guy Larmandier, Champagne R&L Legras, Champagne Henriot, Pol Roger, Krug, Louis Roederer, Dom Ruinart, Vilmart, Taittinger, and J. de Telmont  – also seek out smaller producers, you will be surprised and delighted.

Queen Elizabeth Ends Every Day with a Glass of Champagne

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning English monarch, ends each night with a glass of champagne.

Her majesty’s cousin Margaret Rhodes reports that Elizabeth II drinks at least one glass of champagne before bed. The exact brand of her nightly libation is unknown, it’s almost certainly one of the eight brands that have been granted royal warrants, including Bollinger, Krug, Lanson, and Pol Roger.

 

Spring Has Sprung…..Pol Roger Releases Its 2008 Vintage Rosé Champagne

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Pol Roger prefers to release its rosé champagnes only in vintage years.

Maturation:

Produced in limited quantities the Rosé Vintage 2008 has been aged for 6.5 years in cellars before being disgorged and released onto the market.

Grape Varieties:

The Brut Rose Vintage is produced from a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay drawn from some 20 Premier and Grand Crus on the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs.

In order to obtain its delicate colour and subtle nose 15% Pinot Noir, from selected vineyards in Bouzy, Ambonnay and Cumieres, is vinified “en rouge” and added to the blend prior to the second fermentation.

Dosage – 10.5g/l 

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes:

An intense pink peppercorn colour with a fine stream of persistent bubbles. The nose has aromas of red fruits and summer berries. On the palate the first impression is freshness with notes of fragrant wild strawberry, this develops into creamy ripeness with a hint of vanilla.

  • Allow the wine to blossom in your glass, and you can witness a further layer of citrus aromas with notes of grapefruit.
  • This Rosé Champagne has a great personality.

Food Pairings:

Brut Rosé 2008 an ideal choice to accompany fish such as grilled salmon and sushi. It also marries with fruit tarts and other fruit desserts –  try pairing with a forced Rhubarb fool, the sharpness of the fruit complementing the elegant structure of the wine.

Pol Roger launches Nathalie Garçon Gift Box For The Holiday Season

On the occasion of Christmas and New Year, the House of Champagne Pol Roger has asked fashion designer Nathalie Garçon to dress a box. He has designed this elegant and stylish box with two drawers. At the top drawer lies a scarf of velvet and satin in gold and black hues. This inspiration was taken from Nathalie Garçon’s winter collection. The second drawer contains a bottle of Pol Roger Vintage 2000 vintage.

This divine vintage nectar is made up of a blend of Pinot Noir (60%) and Chardonnay (40%) from premier and grand crus.

This is a Christmas gift that will please most! (250 €)

Liz Palmer
@champagnehouses

Pol Roger Re-Names Street After Sir Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill once described Pol Roger’s headquarters in Epernay as “The world’s most drinkable address”. Most recently, in homage to the relationship the former British Prime Minister had with the Champagne house, the municipality and Pol Roger worked out to rename the street where Pol Roger is based after the Statesman.

A spokesperson for the Champagne house in Epernay confirmed the street has been renamed with the new address: 1 Rue Winston Churchill.

“We are thrilled,” said Pol Roger U.K. director James Simpson, “to discover that Pol Roger has now moved house but curiously has remained in the same place.”

Churchill’s relationship with Pol Roger commenced around 1945. Shortly after the liberation of Paris, he received an invitation to attend a luncheon given by the British ambassador to France, and at this event he met the charming Odette Pol Roger, who eventually became a life-long friend.

Shortly after the death of Sir Winston Churchill, in 1965, Pol Roger ordered black-bordered labels to be placed on all their labels. In 1984 they also introduced a prestige cuvée named after him and made it in the robust, mature style he liked.

Most recently, Pol Roger’s white foil Brut Réserve Champagne NV was served at the wedding reception of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace.