Pol Roger Brut Champagne 1.5L Magnum

1500 ml, Magnum

"An appealing mushroom aroma is the opening note for this smooth, harmonious wine that has enough personality to be a vintage Champagne. It has plenty of body, a flavor dominated by walnuts, a creamy texture and a smooth, buttery finish." Wine Spectator 92 Points

"A beautiful wine, with fine mousse and a pale straw color. Smoky, biscuity aromas are followed by a wonderfully structured, elegant palate, with ripe fruit alongside freshness and a fine, mature richness." Wine Enthusiast 91 Points

Robert Parker 92 Points: "The latest rendition of Pol Roger's NV Brut Reserve is based on the 2013 vintage and incorporates 25% reserve wines from the 2012, 2011 and 2010 vintages. Disgorged six months ago, the wine wafts from the glass with an alluring bouquet of green apple, brioche, pastry cream and buttered toast. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, impressively layered and complete, with a crisp but fleshy core of fruit, a youthfully frothy mousse and bright acids, concluding with a delicately chalky finish. This is one of the very finest—as well as among the most consistent—non-vintage brut bottlings from any of the Grandes Marques, and this release comes very warmly recommended. While it will be drinkable on release, it will reward some bottle age too.

One of Champagne's finest houses, Pol Roger produces among the most consistent ranges of all the Grandes Marques. The style is full-bodied and elegantly fleshy, dominated by Pinot Noir. Only some 20% of any given year will be vintaged, as the maison privileges its NV Brut Réserve—and indeed, while many non-vintage Bruts fluctuate in quality, Pol Roger's "white foil" bottling is both remarkably reliable and long-lived—which ranks as one of the region's best values. Today, the house ferments all its base wines in stainless steel at low temperature, followed by manual riddling. I'll be devoting a longer article to Pol Roger in a future issue."