The still family-owned house of Pol Roger dates back to the middle of the nineteenth century. Based in Epernay, Pol Roger continue to make lovely Champagnes that do not get the recognition they deserve. Their most famous client was Sir Winston Churchil Maurice Doyard began making Champagne back in the 1920s. Today his grandson, Yannick, runs the 10 hectare family estate. He has holdings in 6 different villages, five of which are Grands Crus; the other, Vertus, being one of the top 1ers Crus. He works biodynamically and keeps yields low. He also sells off up to half of his crop to ensure that he only uses the very best grapes available.Champagne guru Peter Liem (www.champagneguide.net) rates the estate very highly. He writes “sophisticated and elegantly harmonious, Doyard’s wines number among the finest in the Côte des Blancs, demonstrating a remarkable personality and individuality”.Yannick produces five different cuvées, all of which show a fantastic sense of poise and refinement.  His non–vintage Champagne, Cuvée Vendémiaire Brut, is made from 100% Chardonnay from 5 different villages. 50% is vinified in barriques and 50% in stainless steel. The current cuvée is a blend of 2000, 2001 and 2002 and spent five years on its lees before being disgorged. This has helped give it a wonderful balance and depth of flavour.  It is mouthwateringly dry with great length and no little complexity. We tasted it blind again recently against Billecart-Salmon and it blew it away. This is a serious Champagne, that will keep teasing you back for another glass. Peter Liem is equally enthusiastic.  “It’s silky and refined, with a layered, subtly complex depth of aroma that is strongly driven by its soil notes, making the fruit flavors seem almost incidental. The underlying backbone of chalky minerality becomes increasingly assertive as this opens in the glass. It finishes with beautiful length, its flavours persisting with subtle nuance and detail * (*) rating.”  With a rating of *(*) Peter has it up in his top half dozen non vintage cuvées.

Yannick also makes a bone dry, zero dosage non vintage Champagne which he gives extra bottle age (7 years minimum) before release to allow it to enrich itself which it has done beautifully. Again, its 100% Chardonnay but it has zero dosage which means it’s salivatingly dry and just stunning. Like the main N/V cuvée it gets better and better in the glass. Peter Liem love it, too.  “The additional lees aging seems to expand and deepen the aromas, and compared to the current release of the brut, this is even more expressive and complex, feeling entirely complete without dosage. Its intense chalkiness binds the fruit aromas of citrus, apple and apricot in a firmly mineral grip, carrying them through the long finish with an impeccable sense of balance and grace. * * rating.”

His rosé is almost not a rosé and is a remarkable wine that seduces you with its subtlety and grace. It is a blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. Officially it’s a rosé but its colour is the merest of tints, not even onion skin, more delicate than that. It’s so fine and elegant with lovely precision and length.  This is real French chic that you will fall in love with. Peter Liem hasn’t a tasting note on this so you’ll have to take our word for it!

We have also hoovered up the remaining stocks of this brilliant vintage Champagne from the already legendary '96 vintage, made from 100% Chardonnay. From Yannick’s best plots, this is 100% vinified in barriques and is just awesome. The vibrancy of the vintage combines beautifully with the intensity of flavour which is full of minerality. Great length and complexity already although clearly there is further development still to come. Peter Liem comments that “it also projects a sense of impeccable harmony, balance and finesse. It’s still youthful and tightly wound, taking a long time to unwind in the glass, and as is typical of the very best 1996s, it gives you the feeling that it will live forever. It’s sleek, energetic and very minerally, with strong impressions of oyster shells and citrus peel, yet it’s not an austere wine, as it carries plenty of richness to go along with the racy structure. The whole thing is encased in a binding of pure chalk, clearly expressing its origins in the Côte des Blancs. * * (*) rating.