Brut Réserve 15L (Nebuchadnezzar) in wooden box - Champagne Pol Roger - Champagne, France

At 15 litres, the Nebuchadnezzar is one of the rarest and most coveted formats that Champagne produces – a work of art that hardly any wine lover ever experiences in person. Presented in a fine individual wooden case, this Brut Réserve from Pol Roger marks the pinnacle of our range: a rarity for collectors, a statement for the most extraordinary occasions – and the most exclusive bottle we stock.

Taste
Pale gold in the glass, with a fine, endlessly rising perlage whose very appearance reveals the care behind this cuvée. On the nose, citrus fruit and pome fruit unfold, underpinned by delicate brioche nuances – a bouquet of quiet refinement. On the palate, a creamy, precise mousse emerges, carried by a clear, flawlessly integrated acidity. The mouthfeel is polished down to the last detail, with a subtle, spicy depth from the long ageing on the lees – never intrusive, always controlled. The finish is long and of rare elegance, with an echo of citrus peel, biscuit and a fine mineral note that lingers in the memory for a long time.

Production
This cuvée is made from around 30 carefully selected base wines from at least two vintages – an art of blending that only a few houses master at this level. Pinot Noir from the great sites of the Montagne de Reims lends structure and character, Chardonnay from Épernay and the Côte des Blancs brings lightness and elegance, and Pinot Meunier contributes fruit and fullness. Maturation in Pol Roger's legendary, deep chalk cellars gives the wine its characteristic finesse. In the monumental 15-litre format – a bottle size that exists only in vanishingly small numbers – the Champagne matures particularly slowly and gains additional honeyed, spicy depth over the years, which also makes this bottle a worthwhile investment for collectors.

Pairs with
A grand entrance calls for the right setting: as an aperitif to open a special evening, with oysters and exquisite seafood, with sashimi or fine white poultry. Pouring from the Nebuchadnezzar is itself part of the ceremony, usually done by two people, with the due attention that a bottle of this magnitude deserves.

In context
Pol Roger is one of the most respected Champagne houses of all, and remains family-run and independent to this day. Since its founding in Épernay in 1849, the house has stood for an uncompromising, understated commitment to quality – slow fermentation, long ageing on the lees, absolute precision. The Brut Réserve is regarded as the purest expression of this style, a benchmark cuvée for connoisseurs and collectors.

In the Nebuchadnezzar format, this benchmark reaches a rare, almost museum-like dimension: large bottles of this size are filled in Champagne only in the tiniest quantities and are hard to find even in the international trade. That makes this bottle far more than an extraordinary drinking experience – it is a collector's item, a prestige piece and the undisputed pinnacle of our Champagne range.

At a glance – facts

• Grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
• Region: Champagne, France
• Ageing: assemblage of around 30 base wines, at least two vintages, ageing in chalk cellars
• Colour: pale gold
• Bottle size: Nebuchadnezzar, 15 litres (equivalent to 20 standard bottles) – one of the rarest Champagne formats in the world, in a protective individual wooden case