TASTING POMMERY BRUT ROYAL
A rounded, rich champagne that yields a clean taste with a supple, fruity finish. That's what my notes say!
If you've sipped much champagne you probably have heard about Veuve Clicquot, the famous champagne widow who helped put the sparkling wine on the map and who now has a cuvée named for her. But you may not know that, fifty years later, another widow did her part to promote the region's bubbly beverage. Her name was Veuve Louise Pommery. (Veuve, as you might have guessed, means widow.)
The story began in 1858, when Alexandre Pommery and his wife Louise set up shop in Reims, the capital of the Champagne region. Their plan was to work in the wool business as well as to make champagne. Tragically, six months later Alexandre was dead, leaving Louise to fend for herself. Alone with two children to support, she abandoned the wool business to focus on champagne.
It was in1874 that Louise Pommery broke with tradition by introducing a dry champagne. Until then champagne was a sweet wine, to be enjoyed with dessert or after a meal. Veuve Pommery removed the sugar and created a drink that was drier, crisper, and meant to be enjoyed before the meal, after the meal, or even without food. This marked the birth of Brut, which now accounts for most of the champagne produced.
Madame Pommery was not only a woman working in what was a man's world, she was a visionary in other ways. She set up the first pension fund for her workers. She had a passion for art and collected hundreds of masterworks which she later bequeathed to the French State. Her legacy was lasting — the winery she and Alexandre founded remained in the Pommery family until 1979.
DRINKING POMMERY BRUT ROYAL
Pommery Brut Royal is fresh with notes of white bread, honey, and a slighty sharp citrus lift on the finish. It's bright and balanced, not rich and creamy. It's a blend of the three major Champagne grape varieties, made with equal parts of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. It is truly one of my favourite champagnes!
TASTING NOTES
Eye — Pale yellow with faint green highlights.
Nose — Fresh and delicate.
Taste — A rounded, rich champagne that lingers in the mouth.
Overall — A clean taste with a supple, fruity finish.
THE WINERY
When you're in the Champagne region book a visit to Maison Pommery and the charming turreted Villa Demoiselle.
Champagne Pommery
5 Place du Général Gouraud, 51100 Reims