In its 160 years of history, Pol Roger has carved out one of the most flattering reputations in the select circle of the leading Champagne brands.
1849-1899 - Pol Roger made his first sale of wine in January 1849. Family circumstances forced him to set up a business: his father, a notary, had contracted an incurable disease and could no longer carry on his practice. The customer was a merchant in Aÿ, the native village of Pol Roger. The firm developed rapidly. From Aÿ, it moved to Epernay in 1851. As early as 1855, Pol began to favour the production of brut Champagne. He knew that this was the type of Champagne which the English preferred. By 1899, when its founder died, the brand had acquired an enviable amount of recognition. It had only taken about thirty years...
1900-1918 A disaster occurred. On 23rd February 1900, a disaster occurred: part of the cellars and the buildings collapsed. Five hundred casks and one and a half million bottles were lost. By this time, Pol Roger's sons, Maurice and Georges, were in charge of the firm. A show of solidarity together with the brothers' determination enabled the firm to overcome this catastrophe. Exports progressed and many crowned heads became customers of the brand. The top restaurants on the Champs-Elysées were serving Pol Roger, but the First World War was to bring this expansion to a halt.
1919-1945 - Prohibition in the United States and the Russian Revolution made export openings more difficult. Yet Pol Roger Champagne was present in more and more countries, and the firm's expansion continued. The founding family's direct control over the firm helped it to maintain its identity as it grew. Then came the Crisis of 1929 which rendered the economic situation difficult. When the Germans occupied France during the Second World War, the production and the buying of Champagne were controlled by the Wehrmacht.
1946-1999 The emblematic figure of Winston Churchill left his mark on the post-war period. This British statesman was an unwavering client of the firm: "the most delightful address in the world", he declared. It was in 1955 that a general improvement in sales could be felt. The range of wines was enlarged, and this gave an additional impetus to the development of Pol Roger's fame. In 1961, a vintage rosé was launched. A few years later, a special vintage was born, the Cuvée Blanc de Blancs. The celebrated Cuvée Winston Churchill was born in 1975 and launched at Blenheim Palace in magnums only. At the same time, the firm developed and reached 210 acres in 1999. The previous year, the United States had become the biggest export market.
2000 until now - The company has adopted a more expansive sales strategy, with newly appointed importers representing Pol Roger in Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Australia. 2001 saw the launch of a new cuvee, "Rich", a demi-sec. In the same year the logo and bottle were redesigned in order to better reflect the elegance and distinction of the champagne. In 2007 the house launched another cuvee, "Pure", an Extra Brut. In addition to its own 92 hectare vineyard, the house has worked tirelessly to ensure sourcing of the best grapes from growers, in order to maintain its current level of excellence which is recognized worldwide. From 2001 to 2011 the winery underwent a complete renovation; an undertaking which ensured that the cellar master, Dominique Petit, could vinify cuvees of irrefutable consistency and quality. Pol Roger Champagne was one of the wines served to hundreds of guests at the official lunch reception following the Royal Wedding between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in the grounds of Windsor Castle.