TN: NV Ruinart Champagne Blanc de Blancs (France, Champagne, Montagne de Reims, Champagne)

WINE TALK
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  • NV Ruinart Champagne Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Montagne de Reims, Champagne (10/28/2013)
    After several bad bottles of bubbly, I was dying for Champagne, so this was popped. Right off the bat, this smelled gorgeous, with lemony almonds, minerals, like a lovely Puligny Montrachet, ending with a hint of white mushrooms. The smell made me smile, but once on the palate the difference was amazing: the texture was nice but thin, very surprisingly light (and almost watery), with extremely coarse bubbles carrying similar flavors, ending with bright acidity and a mid-length finish.

I wonder if I’ve been drinking too much farmer fizz? This just seemed clunky and not very complex compared to some of the grower Champagnes I’ve been drinking (Bourgeois-Diaz (disclaimer: we import him), Jose Dhondt, Chartogne Taillet, Laval, Clouet, etc…). Granted, this is one bottle from a large house, but I used to really like this, so it makes me wonder. I might have to do a comparison tasting…

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Cheers! [cheers.gif]

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Interesting. This is a wine I generally really like. Too bad you had a bad experience with it.

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Howard, it’s odd, I remember liking this, but it’s been a long time since I’ve had it. So maybe I’ve been drinking too many grower bubblies. I really don’t know, I was really expecting better.

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I’ve always like Ruinart. My wife also sells the stuff so I drink a fair amount of it.

I acutally expected a positive note from the o.p. because I think this bottling is actually better over the past couple of years than it was 3-5-7 years ago. But it is definitely light on the palate. It tends toward citrus and crispness and might lack some of the yeasty, doughy character that a lot of BdB has. I actually think Dhondt is similar in that regard, though I’ve only had that a half-dozen times.

I might agree with your assessment Michel that your habits or preferences might have shifted as much as the quality of this bottling has.

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In my market, this bottle usually sells for $55. Every once in a while, for no reason, it drops to $35-37. When it’s that price, I consider it a great buy.

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I’ve always enjoyed this, been very consistent, although haven’t had one of the more recent releases…

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couple years in the cellar improves it, IMO.

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I’ve always enjoyed it.
I actually dreamt of it last summer.

Great post which makes me want to run out a find a bottle, and perhaps I will!

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I usually find Ruinart’s NV BdB to be sweet. Not sure what the dosage regimen is but regardless, that’s how it usually tastes to me.

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I opened a '93 Ruinart (entry level vintage, not Dom Ruinart BdB) a few weeks ago that was hitting on all cylinders and surprising youthful for 20 years of age (93 pts. i.m.o.). The funny thing is all my web searches for the bottles I have return nothing. Maybe they stopped making a mid range vintage shortly after the '93? Regardless, anyone care to venture a guess as to why these bottles seem so hard to get info on/come across?

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Mark,

The regular Ruinart vintage does not come into the US via the normal market except by very special request so that is why you almost never see it. Most of it stays in Europe especially within France where it is a big hit. It normally is consumed young so you don’t see older vintages of it like you would the Dom Ruinart. I agree with you that this wine can be very nice. In general, most good producer basic vintage wines are excellent values and in a sweet, but ignored spot when compared with the more famous tete de cuvee and less expensive, easier to find and understand NV.

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Funny that some consider ruinart a large champagne house

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Well, compared to what I’ve been drinking lately, they’re big.