2008 Pol Roger, Sir Winston Churchill 1x75cl

Robert Parker – 96

“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 beautifully 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 great 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. Tasted from lot L82002894D in July 2018. Disgorgement date unknown. The wine will be released in the second half of this year.” [31/08/2018]

Anticipated maturity: 2018-2050

Jasper Morris – 96

I opened two bottles of this to taste as the first seemed oddly subdued (note: a tiny bit of bottle variation for this wine too). The second bottle was delightful: yeast-complexed Pinot Fruit that is surprisingly light on its feet, with fruit just beginning to build. There is more complexity to come, and bottles will need another ten years to reveal some tertiary uplift. Excellent! [01/03/2020]