Pol Couronne, Oenothèque Millésime, 2008

We’ve worked with Pol Couronne for years now and the quality emerging from the house is nothing short of exceptional.

For 2008 Pol Couronne Oènotheque Millésime the care and attention are only ratcheted up. The 2008 is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir and really makes the most of the faultless weather conditions in this year. Picked only from Grand Cru vineyards in Bouzy and Ambonnay for the Pinot Noir and Avize for the Chardonnay, and held onto as part of the House library stocks, it was aged on the lees for an incredible 15 years and was aged in 10% oak to ramp up the depth even further. We are privileged to have access from what may would consider the single finest year in Champagne, the house themselves are sold out completely.
 
Whilst Pol has not been put in front of critics you’ve got to go back to 1979 to find a vintage which outscores it in Vinous (by half a point. Antonio Galloni gives the 2008 vintage overall 97+ and says “the 2008 Champagnes that have been released so far capture all the potential I sensed when I first tasted the young vins clairs right after harvest. The 2008’s are racy, energetic and tense…the finest 2008 Champagnes are viscerally thrilling, chiselled wines that will soon be recognized as modern-day icons”.
 
Looking at boxes to tick:
✓ A rare, limited edition, specially lees-matured vintage cuvée,
✓ from a superbly artisan but under the radar grower,
✓ from the greatest vintage for Champagne since 1979,
✓ for a shade over £80 a bottle on your table

"The 2008 Pol Couronne Oenotheque Millesime is pure elegance. It has all the wonderful characteristics of the Pol Coronne house style revved up 10-fold. Honeyed in colour, with the finest bubbles, gives way to an exhilarating nutty and toasty nose of Macademia, and freshly baked surdough, with ginger syrup, fresh fig, and salted country butter. Rich and full with a savoury, saline aspect, notes of cereal and malt, manuka honey and chalk all balanced by the freshness of Mirabelle and golden delicious apples, the finish is long, leesy and very more-ish. Why contribute to a Grand Marque’s marketing budget when this beauty is available – and every penny is paying for what’s in the bottle and not on the label?"
Our note