Champagne - not just for special occasions

ANOTHER New Year! What did we drink on New Year's Eve? Champagne of course - Pol Roger Winston Churchill 2004, one of my favourite deluxe champagnes, reserved for special occasions, too expensive to be my house champagne.

I was fortunate to be in London when Pol Roger released its first vintage, 1975, of Winston Churchill, and staying within walking distance of that great London institution Fortnum & Mason, where I promptly headed as soon as I read of its release. And to my great joy, "yes sir, we have the Winston Churchill" greeted my ears. There is still one final bottle of the 1975 in my cellar, awaiting that special occasion (as yet unspecified) to be opened.

Sadly, the restaurant where we were (drinking) ringing in the New Year did not stock Pol Roger's Winston Churchill so we had to be content with the house champagne - which was quite decent.