1998 Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill Brut

Churchill loved Pol Roger Champagne so much he named a race horse after it. When he died, Pol Roger named its tete de cuvee after him. Among the rich and deep, Pinot Noir-based leaders in this tasting, the Cuvee Sir Winnie has always been the one that finds the best balance of boldness and control at the same time. Its toasty, nutty, soy and chalk first aromas are met by smells of brioche and roasted lemons, and its mousse follows with both power and pinpoint insistence. It eschews the fruitier styles of Dom Perignon and Perrier-Jouet yet has more mannerly lines than the pushy Bollinger and Krug. It is, quite simply, our favorite among a very exciting group of wines.

Light gold. Intensely aromatic nose offers a complex bouquet of smoky orchard and pit fruit aromas, along with exotic orange zest and white pepper. Deep and chewy, displaying impressively concentrated but brisk pear and bitter citrus pith flavors and an undercurrent of buttery brioche and lees. Finishes with palate-staining persistence and a subtle anise quality. As usual, a stunner.