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Ruinart

Many Champagne houses would like to lay claim to the accolade of being the longest established house, but only one may do so in truth. And that house is Ruinart, a business established in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart. In reality there can be no older house; the Royal decree which permitted the transport of bottled wines (casks are of little use for the transport of sparkling wines) was only passed in 1728. The Ruinarts were not without connections when helpful advice with their new venture was needed; Nicolas' uncle was Dom Thierry Ruinart, close friend to Dom Pérignon himself.

Ruinart Nicolas handed the business to his own son, Claude, and then to the next generation, Irénée. Irénée, Nicolas' eldest grandson, led well, expanding the house and increasing sales. His customers included the Empress Josephine, among other Royal clientele. The family tradition of selling to the noble and the notable continued with Irénée's son. This was Edmond, who, with the assistance of his faithful servant Baldrick and ever-present antithesis Sir Percy, opened up markets both in the USA and Russia; his number one customer in the former was President Jackson. Edmond's son, Edgar, followed in his father's footsteps, continuing to develop the lucrative Russian market. In the 20th Century the firm remained in the hands of the Ruinart family. André Ruinart ran the business during the most difficult of times, with the Ruinart offices taking direct hits during the Battle of the Marne. André was forced to work from his flooded cellars, using a floating platform as an office (you can't make this stuff up). Despite this gritty determination, however, the family were soon to lose control of the business. Financial assistance from Baron Philippe de Rothschild was accepted in 1950, and in 1963 the whole business was sold to Moët & Chandon, and subsequently became part of LVMH, the luxury goods group.

Today Ruinart is led by chairman Roland de Calonne, with chef de caves Jean François Barot working his magic in the cellar. The house style is fresh, with a dominance of Chardonnay over the two Pinots. Even in the non-vintage cuvées Chardonnay will typically account for 40% of the blend, sometimes 50%. Vintage cuvées will generally include over 50%. The wines can be grouped into three categories:

The 'R' de Ruinart cuvées include both Brut NV and vintage wines. The NV is 40% Chardonnay minimum, with 25% reserve wines. Proportions vary in the vintage wine.
The straight Ruinart cuvées include the Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, obviously 100% Chardonnay which is all from Premier Cru vineyards, and the Ruinart Brut Rosé. Both NV wines, the former is easily spotted as it is bottled in a distinctive, fat bottle made of clear (although UV resistant) glass. The latter is typically 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot, with addition of red wine rather than the saignée method.
The prestige cuvées are the Dom Ruinart wines, both Blanc de Blancs and Rosé.

The Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs was first released with the 1959 vintage. This is Grand Cru Chardonnay, a large proportion of which originates from the Montagne de Reims; Avize, Cramant, Chouilly, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Sillery and Verzenay. These villages impart a great depth and presence on the palate, and an ability to age well. The Dom Ruinart Rosé, first released in 1962, is actually the Blanc de Blancs to which 15% Pinot from Verzenay and Verzy, vinified red, has been added. Unsurprising, therefore, that the two wines are of comparable finesse, but the Rosé matches the more Pinot-influenced cuvées of other houses for quality as well.

In short, the Ruinart range offers quality and also value. The most recognisable bottles are the superb Dom Ruinart bottlings, but other cuvées in the range seem to me underappreciated and therefore undervalued. These wines are worthy additions to any cellar. (16/2/05)

Contact details:
Address: rue des Crayéres, 51100 Reims
Telephone: +33 (0) 3 26 77 51 51
Fax: +33 (0) 3 26 82 88 43
Internet: www.ruinart.com

Ruinart - Tasting Notes

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1998

Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut 1998: A smoky, honeyed nose; otherwise, there is little to find here. The palate has a lovely, fresh, precise and balanced disposition, with good, firm acidity and a subtle mousse. This is a pervasive, complete style which touches every corner of the palate. Very good impact, and a very good wine. Good potential for the cellar. From the annual Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 16.5+/20 (March 2006)

1996

Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut 1996: A pale straw colour, with a sparse bead of moderately sized bubbles. The nose is rather subtle, with restrained, understated aromas of honey roast nuts. It has a fine texture, quite soft and rounded, creamy and mouthfilling, but with fresh and incisive acidity and a prickling, delicate mousse. Quite sharply defined on the finish. It has flavours of nuts, as subtle as they are on the nose, with a toasted almond character, citrus peel and a prickly, nettly, bitter quinine character. This is really attractive, and is very approachable now. Very good indeed. From a 1996 Champagne tasting. 17+/20 (August 2007)

Ruinart Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1996: This is really nice on the nose, where there are notes of freshly lifted honeycomb, nuts and brioche. Deeply flavoured, rich, although rather simple and straightforward at this youthful stage in its evolution. Also served very cold. And there is still a light touch of sulphur, although of no consequence once this is ready. There is, however, a fine poise, great lemony-honeycomb fruit and a creamy, refined mousse. It is so young at present, but has great potential. From the 2007 Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 17.5+/20 (March 2007)

1993

Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut 1993: Yeasty, biscuity nose. A creamy texture on the palate, lovely mousse, attractive white fruit. Good acidity, refreshing. A little short on the finish, but certainly enjoyable. 16/20 (August 2000)

Ruinart Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1993: Good, rich colour. Very impressive nose, very cohesive, with notes of honey and oiled cashews, partnered by exotic nuances. This is beautiful. Firm yet elegant on the palate, with expansive flavours and a creamy edge just beginning to show. Firm acidity lends a sharpness to it, and there is a grand length. Delightful. Will improve with further bottle age. 18+/20 (November 2004)

1990

Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut 1990: A pale gold and a very sparse but fine bead. Lovely nose, just beautifully developed, open and quite evocative, with notes of honey-roast nuts and praline. Full, creamy and just dripping with lip-smacking praline flavour on the palate, this is exceedingly good. Lovely concentration and fabulous character, good precision and a fine, gentle mousse. Excellent. A Christmas Wine. 18/20 (December 2006)

Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut 1990: Quite a rich colour here, but this bottle is showing a fairly fat bead. Nevertheless, the nose is most impressive, with plenty of Chardonnay-derived toasty aromas, with smoky nuances. Background notes of almonds and cream complete the picture. Plenty of vigour on the palate, flavour-packed, with a creamy mousse. Toasty, yeasty, rich in fruit, and with firm acidity, this wine will cope well with further time in the cellar. 18/20 (January 2004)

Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut 1990: This has a rich colour and a hardly visible bead, at least at first. Initially fairly muted, but with time this wine developed delicious toasty aromas with a rich weight of fruit, and an autolytic yeasty note. A rich, deliciously textured palate, with a fine, gentle but creamy mousse. Good fruit. There is excellent supporting acidity suggesting this wine has plenty of potential for development yet. Pleasant length. 18/20 (September 2001)

Ruinart Cuvée Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1990: A pale hue, with just a hint of gold, and a gentle bead. Simply lovely nose, showing maturity married with great finesse; evocative and expressive, with cinder toffee and caramel biscuit richness. Fine, elegant presence on the palate, quite refined, broad, mature Chardonnay character, and a creamy mousse. Beautiful, lingering finish. Absolutely top quality here, and still showing elements of youth, with potential for another five, maybe ten, years of development. A Christmas Wine. 19+/20 (December 2005)

Non-Vintage

Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first. I have tried to indicate whether it is a tasting of a new release, or of a wine I have cellared.

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV: Current release. Aromas of dried white fruits here. This has a very firm structure on the palate though, slightly creamy, gentle blanc de blancs style but there is lots of substance underneath. Warm and rounded on the finish. Appealing. Good potential. From the 2008 annual Champagne tasting. 16-15.5+/20 (March 2008)

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV: Current release. An open, expressive nose full of honeyed wood and burnt cinder toffee, which I find all very appealing. A little residual sulphur still at present. An appealing fresh style on the palate, also bedevilled by sulphur, but clearly there is a fine structure underneath it all, and a precise composition. Firm acidic backbone. A great presence and it certainly bodes well for the future. From the 2007 Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 16+/20 (March 2007)

Ruinart Brut Rosé NV: Current release. This has a firm, salmon pink hue. An appealing, mineral and cordite nose here, mixed with a healthy display of red fruits mixed with cream. The palate is firm, balanced, structured, with fine mineral flavour and a good acid structure. Fine weight on the palate This makes a lovely drink for current imbibing. From the annual Champagne Information Bureau Tasting. 16.5/20 (March 2006)

Ruinart Brut Rosé NV: Current release. I don't normally rate Ruinart for their rosé, which is non-saignée, and rather bold in colour. But this is good. Very self-confident rosé-onion skin hue. Strong nose, red fruit and raspberry leaf. Fine palate, with delicate but evident mousse, and a delightfully creamy presence. Decent, balanced acidity. Lovely style. 16.5+/20 (August 2005)

Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut NV: Current release. 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot Noir. 25% reserve wines. A good, meaty, biscuity, Pinot-influenced nose. Full, bright, leafy, red berry fruit on the palate, with a firm mousse. Creamy character. Just a slightly green edge to the finish which may fade with time. 15.5+/20 (November 2004)

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV: Current release. Unusually, packaged in a clear bottle made using UV-resistant glass. A lovely, bright, fresh, white flower nose, but with honey and nutty complexity suggesting a little bottle age here. Clean, leafy palate. Lithe and elegant, with a creamy, foamy mousse and a sharp finish. Good. 15.5+/20 (November 2004)

Ruinart Brut Rosé NV: Current release. 45% Chardonnay, 55% Pinot Noir. 18% red wine blended in. Pale pink hue, with crushed strawberry and buttery biscuit aromas. Bright, with medicinal red fruits and sharp acidity, but with a lovely, full texture. Firm finish. Good. 15/20 (November 2004)

Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut NV: Current release. Pale colour. Lacking on the nose. Subtle yeasty notes, fresh citrus aromas. Creamy texture on the palate, but palate also seems flat and uninteresting. No fruit. Perhaps subdued fruit evidence of a corked wine? Certainly not showing well. Not rated. (August 2000)

Ruinart Brut Rosé NV: Pleasant colour and aroma. Some nice red fruit on palate, well balanced. Overall pleasant, although lacking in complexity. Expensive for what you get. 15.5/20 (August 2000)