A Toast to Pol Roger

The annual Champagne Dinner returns July 14, celebrating Pol Roger’s rich, Pinot‑driven style with a multi‑course menu crafted to match its structure and sparkle.

Written by: Marlene Osteen

Issue: June 2026

highlands-nc-old-edwards-pol-roger-champagne-dinner

Champagne has a way of setting a tone from the first sound – the quick, bright pop of the cork, the lift in the glass, the sense that the evening has officially begun.

With Pol Roger, that moment carries a little more weight. It’s the Champagne long favored by Winston Churchill – a devotion so strong the house eventually created its prestige cuvée, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, in his honor – and it has even made its way into royal celebrations at Windsor Castle. It’s history, certainly, but it’s also a clue: this is a Champagne built not just for ceremony, but for the table.

On Tuesday, July 14, that same house returns to The Farm at Old Edwards for the 11th Annual Champagne Dinner, an evening that leans into what Pol Roger does best – structure, depth, and a style that holds its shape across a full meal.

Known for producing one of the most stylistically consistent portfolios among the grandes marques, Pol Roger’s wines are full-bodied, broad-shouldered, and textural, with a Pinot Noir-driven identity that gives them both presence and staying power. Recent investments in the house’s cellars and production have only sharpened that precision, resulting in wines that feel more focused than ever.

That kind of Champagne demands a kitchen that can keep up, and at Old Edwards, it does.

highlands-nc-old-edwards-pol-roger-champagne-dinner-toast

Executive Chef Chris Huerta approaches these dinners with a clear point of view – one shaped as much by his early years cooking alongside his grandmother as by his time working under Michelin-starred Chef Gunter Seeger. His food is grounded, seasonal, and deliberate, drawing from the organic gardens at The Farm and the surrounding region.

Rather than building a menu around expectation, Huerta builds it around opportunity. Champagne moves easily across the table, and the courses follow suit – fresh, bright flavors where the wines are taut and mineral, deeper, more layered dishes where they broaden and open. The menu is built to showcase the nuances of the Champagnes and nowhere is that clearer than in a pairing with luxurious caviar. Calvisius, clean and briny, meets the wine with perfect symmetry – salt against acidity, richness lifted by effervescence.

Throughout the evening, live music carries through the space, giving the dinner a natural rhythm. Glasses are refreshed, plates arrive and recede, and the progression unfolds without pause. It’s not a static tasting – it’s a dinner in motion.

That’s where Pol Roger proves its point. These are wines with history, yes, but also with range – capable of moving from the first pour to the last course without losing their line. It’s the kind of versatility that Churchill recognized instinctively, and the kind that still defines the house today.

The dinner runs from 6:00 to 10:00 P.M. at The Farm at Old Edwards, with tickets including the full menu, Champagne pairings, shuttle service, and gratuity.

It’s a summer evening built on precision, momentum, and the quiet confidence of a Champagne that has long understood exactly what it’s meant to do. Secure your tickets online at OldEdwardsHospitality.com/ChefDinners.

Favorites Count: 0

My Favorites
Your favorites list is empty. Look for to add favorites to your list.