Pol Roger's cellars run beneath Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, and the house has never left the hands of the family whose name it carries: founded in 1849, it's now run by the sixth generation of Pol Roger's descendants.
Still independent
Most of the grand Champagne names now sit inside LVMH, Pernod Ricard or EPI. Pol Roger doesn't. It remains one of the few historic houses still owned and managed by the founding family, which shows up in production that stays modest by Champagne standards and a house style that hasn't chased fashion.
Churchill's champagne
The connection began in 1944, when Winston Churchill met Odette Pol-Roger at a lunch in newly liberated Paris and became a devoted, lifelong customer. After his death in 1965, the house mourned by adding a black border to the labels sold in Britain, a tradition that ran for decades. The Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, first released in 1984 from the 1975 vintage, was created in his honour: over 80 percent Pinot Noir, aged a minimum of ten years on its lees, and released only in vintages the Churchill family itself approves.
The rest of the range
Below the prestige cuvée sits White Foil, the house's non-vintage Brut Réserve and the wine most people meet Pol Roger through, alongside a vintage Brut and a vintage Rosé. All three share the same backbone: a Pinot Noir-led blend built for structure rather than immediate charm, closer in weight to Krug than to the lighter houses.
FAQ
Is Pol Roger still family owned?
Yes. It's one of the last major Champagne houses to remain independent, run today by sixth-generation descendants of founder Pol Roger.
What is Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill?
The house's prestige cuvée, made only in strong vintages and named for its most famous customer. It's Pinot Noir-dominant, ages a decade on its lees before release, and each vintage needs sign-off from the Churchill family.
Why is Pol Roger associated with Churchill?
He became a customer in 1908 and a friend of the family from 1944 onward, drinking Pol Roger daily for the rest of his life. The house still honours the relationship with the label bearing his name.