2000 Pol Roger Rose

The estate’s 2000 Brut Extra Cuvee de Reserve Rose is a fairly straightforward wine with clean aromatics and pretty fruit, but the wine doesn’t have the distinctiveness and personality I had hoped for, most of which is probably attributable to a challenging growing season. Pol Roger’s Rose is 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 15% still Pinot Noir. This bottle was disgorged January 10th, 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2012. Pol Roger is one of Champagne’s historic houses. I have long admired the estate’s Champagnes for their superb balance and gracefulness. This year I found the best wines at the bottom and top of the ranges, while the mid-level wines revealed some inconsistency, something that is not uncommon among properties of this size. The tete de cuvee, Sir Winston Churchill, named after the estate’s most famous customer, is often among the finest wines in the region. Lot numbers are stamped on the corks, but it would be nice to see Pol Roger indicate the disgorgement date on its labels. Importer: Frederick Wildman and Sons Ltd, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700

(60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay) Bright pink with a frothy mousse. Raspberry and strawberry aromas are complicated by dried flowers and blood orange. Juicy red fruit flavors are sharpened by dusty minerals and lifted by gentle acidity. Becomes chewier with air and finishes with good grip and thrust. Plenty rich, with the power to handle full-flavored foods and the dryness and cut to work as an aperitif.