CUVÉE SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL
2008 Pol Roger
Tasted last week at the launch event with members of the Churchill family and the grandees from Pol Roger. This latest release of the iconic Winston Churchill is another mesmerising rendition and deserved all the fanfare. A beautiful, small and precise bead in the glass feels perfectly fresh in the palate and lays the framework for an exhilarating mouthful of energy, brightness and delicious depth. High tones of some pithy lemon meet spot on crisp apple and a weightier mid palate of tightly furled white fruit flesh. Perfectly seasoned with pretty white blossom and Just a whiff of more savoury inensity, for now. The energy, power and balance are spellbinding. This whistles on and on long after you have swallowed. So drinkable already this will be a joy for the next 20 years and beyond! Drinking range: 2020 - 2045L&S (Oct 2018)
In Bond
75cl bottles (case of 6)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Released in October of last year, Pol Roger's 2008 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet of waxy citrus rind, dried white flowers, freshly baked bread, iodine and honeyed yellow apple. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, powerful and vinous, with a deep and multidimensional core, broad structural shoulders and considerable concentration, girdled by tangy acids and displaying a youthfully frothy but incipiently fine mousse. The finish is long and intense. This is a terrific rendition of this reliably superb cuvée and well worth seeking out. Rating: 97 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Jul 2019)
The 2008 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is one of the most reticent and tightly wound wines of the vintage. To be sure, all the 2008s offer tremendous brightness and punch, but most are also a bit more approachable in the early going. The 2008 Churchill is totally closed in on itself at present. Vibrant floral, citrus and saline notes add an attractive upper register to a core of persistent Pinot-inflected fruit as the wine gradually opens up. The 2008 is a total knock-out, but I wouldn't dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2019)
This lovely, elegant version is more about restraint and finesse than power, caressing the palate with a silky mousse and a finely woven range of ripe Asian pear, biscuit and star fruit flavors, accented by elderflower, ground ginger and almond skin notes. Lightly mouthwatering, expanding on the chalk-tinged finish. Drink now through 2033. Drinking range: 2019 - 2033 Rating: 96 Alison Napjus, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2019)
Real depth to the nose now. And to the palate. Firm and burly with a bit of chew still. Good density but arguably a slight lack of charm when I think of the Dom Pérignon 2008. Tight-knit and not yet fully unfurled. Drinking range: 2020 - 2030 Rating: 17.5+ Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2019)
Sourced in grand cru vineyards and blending Pinot Noir with Chardonnay, Pol Roger's 2008 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill displays an intense straw-yellow/white-golden color and opens with a beautifully deep, fresh, concentrated and aromatic bouquet of perfectly ripe tropical fruits, refreshing lemons, very fine vanilla and brioche aromas. The attack on the palate is fresh and finessed, and in the following seconds, the 2008 reveals great airiness, precision, purity and intensity with a firm, persistent structure in the long, refreshing, perfectly balanced and mouthwateringly salty finish. The 2008 Winston Churchill is a highly complex yet focused and vitalizing prestige cuvée of great, great finesse, chalky expression and exciting elegance. It already drinks very well but also indicates immense aging potential. It's most likely one of the finest of this century and one of the greatest Churchills of modern times. Drink 2018-2050. Drinking range: 2018 - 2050 Rating: 96 Stephan Reinhart, The Wine Advocate, erobertparker.com (Oct 2018)
Champagne Pol Roger
Champagne Pol Roger is one of the very few remaining houses still owned and run by the founding family, who remain responsible for the winemaking and selection of the cuvées each year.
Originally founded in Aÿ in 1849 by Pol Roger, the firm then moved to Épernay in 1851. The First World War had a huge impact on the firm, putting any expansion plans to rest, and Prohibition in America made exports much more difficult.
During the Second World War when the Germans occupied France, all production and buying of Champagne was controlled by the Wehrmacht.
However, the War caused Winston Churchill to become a prominent figurehead throughout the world, and his love of Pol Roger was widely known. So much so that the House created their special Cuvée Winston Churchill in 1975.
Offer: All wines are offered as complete cases, subject to availability and final confirmation
Pricing: Prices quoted are In-Bond (ex-VAT). If you would like to place a Duty-Paid order please notify us using the wishlist order form.
Delivery Timing: Wines are already in the UK and available for duty paid and in bond delivery within two to three weeks.
Delivery Fees: £16.50 +VAT on transfers to 3rd party bonds for orders under £1,000. Free transfer for L&S Elephant Storage customers.