Chilled Pol Roger Champagne Coupe
A coupe of brut champagne, chilled and crisp, with fine persistent bubbles: Churchill's signature drink, which sharpened his mind and accompanied his victories and reverses alike.
A coupe of brut champagne, chilled and crisp, with fine persistent bubbles: Churchill's signature drink, which sharpened his mind and accompanied his victories and reverses alike.
I have often been reproached for my attachment to champagne; I reply that I have done far more for it than it has done for me. Pol Roger was my companion in every triumph and every reverse—chilled, lively, an acidity that wakes the mind as surely as a telegram from the front. I would drink a coupe at lunch without the slightest remorse, for a man must owe some pleasures to the nation he serves. Serve it chilled, in a flute worthy of the name, and drink to liberty.
- •Brut champagne (Pol Roger) — a well-chilled bottle (the drink)
Chilled Pol Roger Champagne Coupe
A coupe of brut champagne, chilled and crisp, with fine persistent bubbles: Churchill's signature drink, which sharpened his mind and accompanied his victories and reverses alike.
Why this dish? Pol Roger was Churchill's favourite champagne, which he willingly drank from lunchtime and associated with every great moment. His attachment to this house was so deep that he named one of his racehorses 'Pol Roger'.
I have often been reproached for my attachment to champagne; I reply that I have done far more for it than it has done for me. Pol Roger was my companion in every triumph and every reverse—chilled, lively, an acidity that wakes the mind as surely as a telegram from the front. I would drink a coupe at lunch without the slightest remorse, for a man must owe some pleasures to the nation he serves. Serve it chilled, in a flute worthy of the name, and drink to liberty.
Ingredients (period version)
- Brut champagne (Pol Roger) — a well-chilled bottle (the drink)
Ingredients
- Brut champagne — 1 bottle (75 cl) (the drink)
- For a non-alcoholic version: sparkling white grape juice + squeeze of lemon — 75 cl + 1 tsp (family-friendly alternative)
Method
- Chill the bottle for 3 to 4 hours in the fridge (or 20 min in an ice bucket with water and ice cubes).
- Open carefully, without popping the cork, holding the cork.
- Serve immediately in clean, dry flutes to preserve the bubbles.
- For children: replace with sparkling white grape juice with a squeeze of lemon, served just as chilled.
How it was made : In the early 20th century, champagne was still often drunk from a wide, shallow coupe before the flute became standard to better retain the effervescence. Great houses like Pol Roger delivered their vintages to London clubs and political circles.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a flute with a lemon twist or a raspberry at the bottom—a tart burst that highlights the wine's liveliness.
Sources : Cita Stelzer, Dinner with Churchill: Policy-Making at the Dinner Table (2011)
Winston Churchill · Charactorium
