Pol Roger : Brut Vintage Édition Vinothèque 2002

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of Pol Roger Brut Vintage Vinothèque Edition 2002

Tasting

Appearance
The appearance reveals a golden color with brilliant highlights, enhanced by fine and persistent effervescence.

Nose
Initially austere with notes of yeast and ash, the bouquet gradually blossoms to unveil aromas of menthol and tobacco. Fragrances of exotic fruits such as mango and papaya then emerge, accompanied by notes of bitter orange and candied orange peel. Delicate touches of eau-de-vie and cognac complete this complex aromatic palette.

Palate
On the palate, this champagne stands out for its powerful structure and remarkable depth, offering an intense tasting experience.

An exceptional Brut Vintage champagne by Pol Roger

The estate

Founded in 1849 in Aÿ by Pol Roger before moving to Épernay, this Champagne house remains one of the last independent and family-run Grandes Marques. Owned by the de Billy family (fifth generation), it produces 1.8 million bottles annually from vineyards spread across Épernay, Côte des Blancs, Mareuil and Ambonnay. Led by Laurent d'Harcourt, with Hubert de Billy and Isabelle Gautier on the Executive Board, Pol Roger is renowned for its traditional manual riddling, its Sir Winston Churchill cuvée created in 1975, and its status as official supplier to the British royal family.

The vineyard

The Pol Roger House oversees an exceptional 92-hectare Champagne vineyard, including some of the finest parcels of the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs.

The cuvée

To mark its 175th anniversary, Pol Roger is offering a very limited selection of old vintages of its emblematic cuvées. These bottles, disgorged at their original launch date, were then returned to the cellars for extended aging, remaining undisturbed until their release. They are also distinguished by hand-applied labels inspired by the original designs, and are presented in wooden cases.

This Brut Vintage Vinothèque Edition 2002 comes from a rigorous selection of 20 Grands and Premiers Crus from the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs, iconic Champagne terroirs renowned for their excellence. Each bottle is dressed by hand and presented in a wooden case, with labels, neck collars, and foils inspired by Pol Roger's original design.

The vintage

The year 2002 was marked by particularly favorable weather conditions. A mild winter with normal rainfall was followed by a warm summer with moderate drought. The beneficial rains in August and early September were succeeded by dry, sunny weather from September 10, allowing grapes to reach exceptional ripeness and sanitary quality.

Winemaking and aging

The harvest for Brut Vintage Vinothèque Edition 2002 took place from September 12 to 28, 2002. After gentle pressing and double settling, alcoholic fermentation was carried out at low temperature in stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation was completed. Each grape variety and each cru were vinified separately. The champagne was aged for 10 years in the cellar before traditional manual riddling and disgorgement, carried out in March 2013. The bottles age at a depth of 33 meters in the House's cellars, then continue maturing in the vinothèque after disgorgement.

Blend

60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay.