Happy Champagne Day was first started eight years ago to appreciate this sparkling wine that comes from the Champagne region in France. The Champagne bureau is very active in their promotions yet I need no convincing. I love sparkling wines and I love to celebrating life with Champagne. I love this particular one quite a lot. Pol Roger is one of the last few champagne houses that are still entirely family owned. In fact, my very first wine tasting in New York years ago was a Wildman portfolio tasting, Pol Roger’s importer, and a member of the family was there pouring their wines. A very elegant older gentleman, it was a memorable experience.

The family has some 220 acres of vineyards, mostly in the south of Epernay and the Cotes de blancs. This particular Champagne is composed of one third Pinot Noir, one third Chardonnay and one third Meunier. It spends three years on its lees. Each grape brings different aspects to the blend: Pinot Noir brings body, Pinot Meunier provides freshness and fruit notes and Chardonnay enhances the experience by adding an elegant lift. Oddly enough,  last night at the New York Wine Experience I ran into the man who first helped me out and really gave me a hand to get into the wine business when I moved to New York from Italy. I met him at that same tasting when I first tried Pol Roger.

This Champagne has a beautiful perlage, lovely floral and fruit notes as well as nutty and toasty aromas and flavors that make this a classic and a great one to celebrate sweetness in your life. I drank it right after my beautiful, long desired son arrived in 2014. Every time I have this wine, I think of how marvelous that bottle was indeed. Cheers to life and to Niccolo’, my exquisite boy. À la vôtre!