It’s not every day you get the opportunity to experience the illustrious Prestige Cuvée from Pol Roger, Winston Churchill, so when I was offered this golden ticket - to taste the newly released 2013 vintage, at Home restaurant in Leeds, I obviously jumped at the chance. The event was hosted by the enigmatic Hubert de Billy, the great-great grandson of Pol Roger.
What is Prestige cuvée?
A Prestige Cuvée is regarded as the absolute pinnacle of quality that a Champagne house will produce. It is only created in exceptional vintages from the best grapes in small quantities. The ultimate luxury item! They are rare and highly sort after and in recent years the market for them has soared as allocations become smaller and demand increases. They are the perfect addition to any investment portfolio if you are lucky enough to get hold of them.
Pol Roger
Pol Roger is the smallest of the Grandes Marques Champagne houses and one of few remaining that are still family-owned. It has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the UK, having first started importing in the 1850s. Their Prestige Cuvée was created in homage to Sir Winston Churchill, who was a lifelong champagne enthusiast and had a penchant for Pol Roger, mindful of the qualities that he sought in his champagne; ‘robustness, a full-bodied character and relative maturity’.
Winston Churchill 2013
The 2013 vintage, the 20th edition of the Prestige Cuvée, remains true to the classic Sir Winston Churchill style having spent 8 years on the lees. It is intense and full bodied with a fine, persistent mousse and will age rather well indeed! The exact blend is a closely guarded secret, however we do know that Pinot Noir dominates the blend providing the structure, richness, and breadth. The Chardonnay contributes the elegance and finesse. The grapes are sourced exclusively from Grand Crus vineyards.
The 2013 harvest was one of the latest on record; it began on 24th September and finished on 9th October. The reason for this was a cold winter with lots of snow and frost which meant Spring weather came late, delaying budbreak. May was unseasonably cold with high rainfall. June was more normal and both July and August were very hot and dry. Rain in early September enabled the grapes to swell and the dry weather that followed ensured full maturity and phenolic ripeness of the grapes – 2 weeks later than normal.
Home Restaurant
Home in Leeds was the perfect setting for such a prestigious Champagne launch, we were treated to unseasonably sunny weather which meant we could enjoy our aperitif, Pol Roger Brut vintage 2015, al fresco. The menu was carefully curated by chef Elizabeth Cottam. The precision, creativity and execution of every element on the plate was incredible and paired with the wines perfectly. Each dish told different story, using a poetic mix of tastes and colours. Merci.
