From Ruinart they define this top-of-the-range champagne as an epitome, surely referring to the meaning of an ideal or paradigmatic example of something, in this case a vintage Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay). Its grapes come exclusively from Grands Crus. 90% are from the Côte des Blancs (Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize, Chouilly
This champagne is presented in an original and innovative second skin. It is a white chalk paper that protects the bottle, and that is eco-friendly (recyclable) and FSC certified (made with natural wood fibers that come from well-managed forests, which provide not only economic benefits, but also environmental benefits. and social). It is intended to represent a sculpture carved on a chalk rock. In fact, its bottles age in one of the most impressive chalk pits in the old Gallo-Roman mines (crayères) in the capital of Champagne.
This vintage marked a turning point, according to Fréderic Panaiotis, Ruinart’s chef de caves. In the decade of the 90s of the last century, the cellar masters wanted to further promote the aging of the wine to give it more breadth and complexity. Guided by intuition, they reserved a batch from the 1998 vintage to prolong the aging with cork stoppers (which requires manual and artisan disgorging of the bottles). Ten years later, when tasting, they saw that the differences were significant with respect to the aging with crown cork, achieving greater complexity.
It was not until the 2010 vintage that they definitively abandoned the metal capsules (crown stopper) in favor of cork for the Dom Ruinart cuvée, and prolonged the aging on lees in the bottle. It took them a decade to reach their full potential, resting in the shadows and stillness of their spectacular chalk pits from the old Gallo-Roman mines. Panaiotis assures that this champagne is “the most accurate reflection not only of a particular year, but of a long aging that revealed all its facets and subtleties.” It stands out for its aromatic freshness and for expressing “depth, magnitude and complexity”.
That of 2010 was a vintage with a very cold winter, a very dry spring and early summer, and a rainy month of August. The viticulturists moved between hope and uncertainty due to fears of the appearance of rot in the grapes. This Chardonnay, which managed to resist the consequences of the rain better, had to be harvested (by hand) at the right time to achieve the promise of a great vintage. And from these fruits and intuition a champagne with an unexpected aromatic complexity was born.
In fact, from Ruinart it is stated that “a leap of imagination and vision was necessary to recognize the characteristics of this future vintage in the vineyard”, since in 2010 very few things suggested that it would be a great vintage. They also remember that “the great vintages are not always born in the most obvious climates.” The alcoholic fermentation of the must was carried out in thermoregulated stainless steel tanks. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation and aged with a cork in a rhyme (horizontal position) for a minimum of 9 years.
Ruinart claims to be the oldest house in Champagne, “inspired by the intuition of a Benedictine monk far ahead of his time.” It was Dom Thierry Ruinart (1657-1709). The Ruinarts, who were cloth merchants, founded this wine house on September 1, 1729. Nicolás Ruinart started this house with the intention of giving his cloth and fabric clients gifts of wine. “Au nom de Dieu et de la Sainte Vierge” (In the name of God and the Holy Virgin), they wrote as the heading of their first account book.
Founded during the French Enlightenment, in a world of ideas, exchanges and culture, Ruinart is part of the great luxury group Louis Vuitton Moët Henessy. They ensure that their wineries are experts in wine made with the Chardonnay variety. His career has its roots in the Age of Enlightenment. In 2029 they will celebrate their 300th anniversary. The encounter between art and sustainability will be the center of this commemoration. Each year until 2029 a different work of art will be created in the heart of its historic vineyards. For this, contemporary artists “whose understanding of nature and climate shed light on our vision of the world” are invited. They perpetuate the “simplicity” characteristic of the house. Ruinart carries out concrete actions to minimize their environmental impact. They are committed to regenerating forests and conserving biodiversity.
