Thanks to Johnny for sourcing this great wine, and the nice photos!

Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 1988 Brut Champagne (750ml bottle)

Grape proportions: a secret recipe guarded by the House of Pol Roger, as a promise to Churchill's family

(guestimate: 70-80% Pinot Noir, 20-30% Chardonnay)

Tasted in May, 2010

' I'm easily satisfied with the best.' -- Sir Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill's favorite champagne is Pol Roger. To honor its greatest fan, Pol Roger named its 'Cuvee de Prestige' after Churchill's name -- the debut vintage of 'Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill' is 1975, the 10th anniversary of Churchill's death(1965), made in magnums only. As a promise to Churchill's family, the House of Pol Roger keeps the exact cepage as a secret -- but since the great wine is made in a style that 'Sir Winston Churchill would have appreciated' and Churchill's preferences are big, powerful, robust wines -- wine critics' guestimate of the grape composition is around 70-80% Pinot Noir and 20-30% Chardonnay. The grapes come exclusively from Pol Roger's own Grands Crus vineyards.

Before tasting Cuvee Churchill 1988, I've read numerous comments from champagne nuts on Cuvee Churchill being a real slow starter. But most of the normally disgorged 88 bubblies are fairly evolved already -- as my earlier experiences with Dom Perignon 88 and Salon 88 have shown -- so how slow could Cuvee Churchill 88 really be?

It turns out to be a 'marathon' wine experience -- beyond my initial belief -- that leaves me only with more admiration of this Grand Vin!

Tasting note: 

First poured upon uncorking.

Very pale golden robe -- much lighter in color than Salon 88 and Dom Perignon 88!

Strangely, there are only a few fine bubbles barely visible in the glass, although healthy pressure is felt when popping the cork.

Initially, the nose is insanely youthful yet delicate: nuances of white flowers mingle with hints of flint, yeast and walnut. The palate is also delicate in a restrained poise -- medium-bodied only, with big muscles still at rest... Yet such cushiony mousse, grand creaminess and yeast-complexed fruit are impressive already...  (At this moment, it's really like a less evolved, delicate Pol Roger Blanc de Chardonnay... The giant Pinot power is still asleep...)

15 minutes after uncorking: the palate takes on coffee finesse.

22 minutes: the coffee tone begins to mingle with flavor of praline.

1 hour and 5 minutes: the peacock tail of bouquet just begins to unfold its glory: yeast, toffee, truffle and praline; on the palate, truffle also becomes the most noticeable element of the still delicate taste.

1 hour and 12 minutes: there appear aromas of white chocolate and walnut oil.

20 minutes to 2 hours: aroma of truffle now mingles with insanely youthful note of green apple!

10 minutes to 2 hours: the nose becomes quite oily, while the mouthfeel is still exquisitely medium-bodied, with fine tones of coffee and chocolate, but some naked acidity is felt -- the wine seems to undergo a changing stage.

2 hours! Oily notes now dominate the nose. The dimension and the structure expand excitingly on the palate, oily textured with coffee finesse. Now the real show just begins!

2 hours 5 minutes: oily dark fruit has swept the floor!

2 hours 10 minutes: buttery nose; the taste is lusciously full with tons of dark fruits and coffee.

2 hours 20 minutes: luxurious bouquets of dark fruit, chocolate, truffle and walnut oil! Intense flavors of dark fruits and chocolate are beautifully wrapped up in silky, oily texture. Full bodied, but without any heaviness. The finesse is flawless!

2 hours 40 minutes: almost no change – dark fruits, coffee and chocolate tones still dominate the scene!

OMG! It still has no sign of decline, yet we've run out the very last drop! This marathon player should drink most beautifully from 2 hours after uncorking till 3+ hours!

Though Pol Roger does not state it, I personally believe that such slow, leisurely development of the wine should have something to do with the selection of grapes from old vines.

Truly impressive one, which needs another 5 years or more to peak!