2006 Pol Roger, Sir Winston Churchill

Made in the very best vintages, Pol Roger's white-golden colored 2006 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill offers a very clear, precise, ripe and complex bouquet with fruity and refreshingly chalky, nutty and brioche notes. Full-bodied and complex on the palate, the 2006 is supple, round and rich but also fine, elegant, fresh and well structured. It has a harmonious yet tight, persistent and very promising finish that puts this silky textured, Pinot-dominated cuvée (the exact blend is a closely guarded family secret) on the border of fatty richness. But the mousse gives so much freshness and finesse that everything seems lifted here. Though I have very limited experience with matured Champagnes from Pol Roger and namely Churchill, I suppose the 2006 will benefit a lot from further bottle aging. But don't get me wrong: the wine is already gorgeous. Tasted June 2018, disgorged in June 2017.

Like Fred and Ginger, this dances gracefully on the palate, with rich and expressive flavors of peach tart, raspberry sorbet, candied ginger and orange peel, and sleek acidity that leaves a mouthwatering impression on the satiny finish. Drink now through 2031.

A broader, lower-acidity vintage, the 2006 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill bursts with aromas of confit citrus, peach, buttered toast, smoke and coffee. Full-bodied, open and gourmand, its expansive attack segues into a rich, ample mid-palate, concluding with a sapid finish. This giving, fully mature Churchill is drinking very well today.

Magnum. Excellent maturity, showing that magic development of baked apples, burnt caramel (is that an autolysis flavour?) and still-fresh pastries. The nose is un-improvable but the palate is perhaps just a little lighter than I would ideally love. Subtle, caressing style with the most gorgeous pinprick effervescence. (RH)