Gomseglet Champagne Connoisseurs Grand Tasting Of Every Cuvée Of Winston Churchill

Stockholm, Saturday 9th December 2023

Remember gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne! – Winston Churchill

Snowy December Stockholm set the scene in a historic Swedish cellar, the bottles and glasses were ready and the flags were flying on the tasting table – Sweden, Norway, Italy, the UK – and Australia. After many years working with Champagne, and much time living in Champagne – as a writer, and an educator, with an award-winning book written about Champagne and Champagne, both drink and place, it was wonderful to be amongst such discerning and convivial company.

Everything in this meticulously planned tasting, from the sourcing and storing of every cuvée – 21 bottles and magnums of good provenance, to the selection of the tasting venue and its essential accoutrements, was the work of famed Swedish collector, Marina Olsson. Writers from wine magazines sat alongside dedicated and experienced amateurs, at least one Master of Wine, collectors and authors, in order to taste through every cuvée of Champagne Pol Roger’s prestige Winston Churchill cuvée ever released. Across 40 years 1975 to 2015, bottles were grouped in brackets of two to four. Which years we were told, but as to which bottles were the product of which years, we relied to a large degree on our knowledge of the vintage conditions of the year.

With Madame Olsson herself and Simon Field MW at the head of the table, and opposite and alongside me a troupe of the top tasters in the world – wine writers, collectors, authors – it was formidable company.

We began with a Pol Roger practice run of vintage Champagne – a Blanc de Blancs, as yet clean and primary, just beginning to show its vanilla nougat notes preceding the palate’s fresh pillowy texture and lemon saline finish (2008), followed by a younger blend oozing cellarage potential (2014), then a delectably refreshing rose petal-and-berry rosé (2014). Our palates suitably calibrated, we arrived at the real purpose of the tasting, Cuvée Winston Churchill, created in honour of the great British statesman and long time friend of the Maison, and dedicated to his memory.

While the blend’s exact components are a closely guarded secret, we know that it’s Pinot dominant, usually spends over 10 years on its lees and is made in a very traditional style, closer to what Pol Roger, Maurice Pol-Roger and Winston Churchill himself enjoyed. The grapes are all Grand Cru from vineyards that were producing grapes for Champagne Pol Roger during Churchill’s lifetime. First conceived in 1975, then stored 33 metres below street level at 9ºC, the first release was in magnums in 1984. Across all of these cuvées, gentle airing reveals powerful, mature, rich and complex champagnes. The wine is long-lived, harmonious, and outstanding in every way. Dosage of about 8g/L, is year dependent. Midway, we were treated to a video hook-up with Bastien Collard de Billy, who revealed that Winston can contain up to 95% Pinot Noir, and hinted that there may be other cuvées of this great wine not yet released. How amazing it was, he opined, that we were able to taste the 1975, a wine that was released in a small number of magnums only for the British market so long ago.

Flight Number One’s 2015, 2013, and 2009 were all decidedly fresh and cellar-worthy but the 2012 somewhat surprisingly showed a broader, softer palate.

2008, 2004 and 2002 were and are each brilliant, with scores in the mid-90s, and showing the typical power and flourish as they blossom in the glass. The 2006 appears rich, mature and lengthy with candied fruits seemingly smoked over coals, drinking at their peak, whereas the others have plenty of life remaining.

2000 – in this case showed how underrated was this year for many cuvées, as aromas of rich vanilla brioche with baba syrup, preceded and accompanied a spicy, rich palate, unctuous and tending to be cloying but for the prickling of dried mandarin peel notes. Drink now, or forever hold your peace!

Our 1993 – badly corked, and suitable for a ‘wine faults’ lesson, if only one could predict which bottle would fail. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a back-up in this instance, although there were ‘understudies’ for many of the other vintages.

1998 rewarded us with aromas of panettone and Christmas pudding spices, with a white pepper touch leading into a light, bright palate, with a dash of lemon to finish. It developed quickly in the glass, indicating that it’s to be relished amongst friends rather than sipped alone.

1999’s spring flowers and tropicals showed us just how much more development there will be in the life of this vintage. It positively waltzes over the palate, trailing a lingering gossamer lemon-and-lime cloak after it.

Flight Number 5, 1990, 1995 1988 and 1996 poured in that order, and we were in the tertiary zone of development, thinking of Winston’s tweedy suits, the cigars, and the clubby feel that is somehow reminiscent of the small salon with the Winston Churchill portraits at the Pol Roger headquarters in Épernay. The 1996 was an enigma, smoky, slow to open – needing air. A touch of dankness finally blows away, leaving the query about whether there’s sufficient fruit to match the acid evident on opening. It was only as we finished the discussion that I realised that there was more here than met the initial assessment. The 1995 was a stunner, evoking spring bulbs (jonquils), rich tropicals, glacé and baked fruits which foretold a rich yet balanced, spicy palate. Luscious. Superb. 98 points. 1990 appeared in tertiary mode with toasty, leathery whiffs intermingling with pipe tobacco and cigars. The palate was liqueurish with dried raisins, sultanas and currants – a perfect example of graceful ageing, a little over-the-pinnacle, but completely drinkable, and while the 1988 was not as lustrous in appearance as the 1990 and 1995 which preceded it, the flavour and palate were caressingly cordial, finishing with sweet cinnamon biscuit notes.

Flight Number Six, a wonderful trio, was presented in reverse order, youngest first, 1986, 1985, 1982. Comparisons are odious, all were wonderful, but the 1985 was a standout with its youthful appearance, sumptuous fragrance, and ravishing mouth feel as it coated every corner of the palate with its chocolatey excellence. And there’s life in it yet! Another 98+ pointer. 1986 looked oldest, although it obviously was not, Sweet, spicy notes, and aromas tightly structured to the muscular palate – an umami evolution. 1982 breathed Dutch spice biscuits, speculaas, and indeed a touch of Aussie vegemite/ UK marmite plus the Winston cigar once again, the palate long and seamless.

Finally, we arrived at the magnum end of the tasting, 1975 and 1979. The corks were extracted successfully after some difficulty. It’s always a challenge to assess such old wines as these, especially when sampled alongside so many glorious younger examples, but these historical masterpieces still had plenty to say for themselves. 1975 – old gold leaned to orange in colour, a pale meniscus, with dried orange zest and chocolate aromas, the palate at once supple and dry with allspice and cloves. 1979 was redolent with smoky cigars, dried flowers, and a bit of mould on its citrus rind. There was still some spritz to provide the effect if not the substance of freshness, but we might have felt that we were wallowing in a messy old leather sofa!

One fact was reinforced over and again – there are no great Champagnes; there are great bottles.

Another point – dosage plays a huge role in preserving Champagne for graceful ageing.

What a fantastic and memorable afternoon of tasting we enjoyed, a truly rare experience being able to taste EVERY cuvée ever produced of this prestigious and wonderful Champagne.