Pol Roger, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, Champagne, France 2000

Although not regarded as a top year, this Churchill is a great succcess. The apple-compote nose is reserved but it has purity of fruit and finesse. The attack is lean, tight, and racy, very youthful and tight, with a wonderful tension and dynamism. It is in its prime but should keep well thanks to its racy acidity, which gives excellent length.

Not at all exciting on release, but at our tasting the greatness and maturity showed in an aristocratic way. Nice smoky complexity. Fat and already mature with strong liquorice and dark chocolate notes.

2000 may not be the most highly rated vintage in its old age, but today some are surprising with their flamboyance and fun – perhaps this is a little more straightforward than some, but it’s immediate, deep and heady with dark honey, bramble and strawberries and cream, heading to tropical ripeness with mango and candied fruits. With a bittersweet twist on the smoky, chewy and buttery finish, this is carrying plenty of appealing fruit weight and impact. Tasted in magnum.