And so we roll onto the third week in a row revolved around the bubblier things in life, and based on the warmth and excitement we've seen from many of you these past few Saturdays, we can't wait to see what you make of this one - the legendary Pol Roger is in focus for our Champagne Monday special, and on pour this weekend!
As you might've noticed with a number of fan-favourite NV champagnes, the Pol Roger Réserve Brut is sitting on special at a great price, and will remain so until the end of the year/close of shop New Year's Eve! This even-split of the three noble grapes is always fragrant and lengthy, filled with honeyed biscuits, swaths of cooked fruit and some crunchy hints of spice.
It will be first off the block for this Saturday's tasting (23rd November) from 12 to 2pm, before we delve deeper into what sets this house apart from so many others with a collection of their stand-out vintage efforts! There's the Brut Vintage from both 2016 and 2018 to compare and contrast, the 2015 Blanc de Blancs, the Brut Rosé 2018, and of course, their iconic Sir Winston Churchill cuvée from 2015 - a fitting final treat if there ever was one!
We're already thinking about popping those corks and sharing a glass with you all - all bottles are on special if you can't quite make it in!
Champagne Monday Special (included in weekend tasting lineup)
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Réserve Brut NV - $95 on special until end of December ($109 RRP)
// 33% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 33% Pinot Meunier 25% reserve wines 8g/L dosage
"Pol Roger Brut Réserve diplays a beautiful golden straw coloured hue, as well as abundant and fine bubbles. With a powerful and attractive nose, it first delivers aromas of fruit (pear, mango ...) and then releases light flavours of honeysuckle and white jasmine, lingering on vanilla and brioche notes. Behind a frank and dynamic attack, the wine encompasses a nice harmony and a pleasant freshness, whilst preserving some structure. On the palate, flavours of cooked fruit (quince jelly, apricot jam) happily mingle with fragrances of beeswax and acacia honey. The long-lasting aromas, composed of both fruity (candied orange peel, tangerine...) and spicy notes (cardamom, anis) is outstanding." - House Notes
"One of my favourite champagne houses. This entry point has one-third each of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay from 30 crus, 25% reserve wines, spending 4 years on tirage. It has a flowery bouquet, terrific mouthfeel thanks to a hint of honey, and Meyer lemon cleansing the finish and aftertaste." - 95 Points, James Halliday
"Richly biscuity on the nose, with steamed rice, fresh pear and citrus blossom complexity. Creamy mousse dissolves into red apple peel, lemon and stone fruits, with a depth of honeyed biscuits. The Reserve NV from Pol Roger is a blend of base wines from at least three vintages. With 6 months of post-disgorgement ageing, the wine is ready to enjoy now." - 93 Points, Sylvia Wu, Decanter
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Weekend tasting (Saturday 23rd November) from 12 to 2pm
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Lineup & Specials:
Brut Vintage 2016 - $165 on special ($185 RRP)
"Based on 60% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, the 2016 Champagne Vintage Brut is released only after 6-7 years on the lees (sur latte). It pours a straw hue and displays a more expressive profile on opening, with notes of tangerine and fresh flowers, its red fruit coming through with fresh red raspberry and peppery spice. It’s medium-bodied and rounded through the palate, with excellent structure, powerful concentration, and a long finish. This has a refined yet powerful feel and will be a wine with significant longevity and slow maturation over the next 15-20 years. True to the house style, it has a sturdy backbone and is emblematic of a fantastic vintage champagne from Pol Roger. The mousse is pinpoint and rounded on the finish." - 95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Brut Vintage 2018 - $175 on special ($195 RRP)
"Pol Roger's 2018 vintage is showing many of the fine facets of the year upon release already, open and giving in style with roasted pear, ripe apricot and grapefruit skin, lightly creamy and developing richness in pecan and brown pastry. The Pinot Noir leads, relatively structured for the year while showing hints of the smoke and spice to come with further age. A wine that flows with some of the ease and charm of 2018, but that promises a fairly early – if rewarding – unfolding in bottle." - 93 Points, Tom Hewson, Decanter
Brut Rosé 2018 - $189 on special ($215 RRP)
"The 2018 Brut Rosé opens to a superb bouquet revealing scents of plums, red berries, pastry, almond, mandarin orange and lemon oil complemented by classy autolytic notes. On the palate, this remarkable rosé has a tauter and more fine-boned texture than usual, which is enhanced by bright acids and a chalky, saline finish. It requires patience to realize all its potential." - 94 Points, Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
Blanc de Blancs 2015 - $199 on special ($225 RRP)
"After the pillowy, chiseled 2013, Pol Roger's 2015 Brut Blanc de Blancs is cut from richer, broader cloth. Offering up aromas of crisp golden orchard fruit, white flowers and subtle hints of warm biscuits, it's full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and a precise, chalky finish. In style, it's reminiscent of a somewhat more sun-kissed version of the 2012 rendition." - 93 Points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate
"The 2015 Brut Blanc de Blancs marries textural intensity with a good deal of freshness. White pepper, dried herbs, chalk, mint and citrus make a strong opening impression. I especially like the energy and tension here, but there’s plenty of depth, too. I would give the 2015 a year or two in bottle, maybe more, as it is quite reticent in the early going. It, too, is seriously impressive for the year. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2034." - 93 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Sir Winston Churchill 2015 - $499 on special ($560 RRP)
"Very complex nose with a wide spectrum of candied citrus, dried peach and mirabelle tart aromas. Bold and rich, particularly on the mid-palate, but with a great deal of subtlety and delicacy for the vintage. This is already delicious, but at the finish you really taste how this has been made for the long term. Great drive and persistence right at the end." - 96 Points, James Suckling
"The 2015 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill shows off the savory side of the vintage to great effect. Hints of dried pear, sage, mint, dried flowers, lemon oil and chamomile open gradually in this mid-weight, lithe edition of Pol Roger's tête de cuvée. The 2015 unfolds nicely with time in the glass, but I wouldn't think of opening a bottle anytime soon. Readers will find a nervy Winston Churchill marked by notable freshness and vigor more than size. This is a fine effort in a vintage that has proven to be far trickier than most observers originally envisioned. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged September 2022." - 95 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
If you wish to purchase any of these champagnes, please use the links above ? Otherwise, if you have any questions, please contact us on (07)32521117 or email sales@thewineemporium.com.au
// Price valid until Monday the 25th of November