DOM RUINART BLANC DE BLANCS 2009
Despite being the oldest established champagne house, founded in 1729, Ruinart is one of the least well-known of the big-name brands in the region. Whether that’s a symptom of being over-shadowed by its stablemates in the Moët Hennessy group (Krug, Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot), or a result of its comparably lower production volume, we’ve always admired the impeccable fruit and purity of Ruinart’s Chardonnay-dominant style and long-believed the house deserves more recognition. And slowly but surely, it’s beginning to get it. Dom Ruinart was formed in 1959 and has produced 26 Blanc de Blancs since its founding.
There was no Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2008. Although a stunning vintage, it was slightly more Pinot Noir dominant, so not as suited to the Dom Ruinart style.
Interestingly, from the 2010 vintage onwards, all Dom Ruinart vintages will be kept on cork with an agrafe closure (a traditional agrafe closure is essentially a large metal clip used to secure the cork during second fermentation). So there will be some style changes, as the champagne will be interacting with cork, rather than a metal closure, whilst in the cellars. Mechanical disgorgement is also being dropped for the prestige cuvée, which, from 2010 onwards, will be disgorged by hand.
Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2009, reflects the vintage characteristics of 2009, an exceptional vintage year for chardonnay. The millimetric vinification, and the long ageing time, make Dom Ruinart an exceptional champagne marked by freshness, complexity, and power mastered with accuracy and elegance.
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“A perfect summer in Champagne resulting in fleshy and lively wines” Frédéric Panaïotis, Ruinart Cellar Master |
2009 WEATHER OVERVIEW
2009 in Champagne has been described as a “golden” year. Despite the extreme summer drought, the climate remains temperate and the grapes ripen in ideal conditions. This is what allows the vintage to retain notes of intense freshness. Above all, it was marked by a summery harvest. The beginning of the growth cycle was a little more complicated. We saw gale force winds, hail, heavy rainfall (60% up in terms of the 10-year average) and cold snaps while the vines were in bloom. Luckily, summer weather took over until September, allowing for consistent ripening in optimal conditions. Apart from warm and sunny, the days were particularly dry with 40% less rainfall compared to previous years. Thanks to these favourable conditions, grapes reached an optimum physiological ripeness with harvest taking place between September 12th and September 28th.
COMPOSITION
100% Chardonnay exclusively from Grands Crus:
82% from the four villages of Côte des Blancs: Cramant, Avize, Chouilly & Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
18% from the north and north east facing slopes of Sillery, in the Montagne de Reims.
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Essi Avellan MW EssiAvellan.com | 94→96/100 “Last week I previewed Dom Ruinart 2009. Even if my expectations were high as always for this superb blanc de blancs cuvee, the wine came with a bunch of surprises. Despite having three years post-disgorgement ageing (disgorged 3/2018), it was still reserved and smoky-mineral in aromatics. The year was dry and sunny but the wine had managed to keep its crunchy fruit profile with lemon, yellow apple and ripe apricots. On the palate it came with ample fruitiness and fleshy mouth-feel. But by no means was if soft in a way that many wines of the vintage are, instead it was surprisingly crisp and feisty. The slow aging curve it seems to be on promises great longevity. Bravo @ruinart_winemakers” |
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FROM THE VINEYARD TO THE TABLE
Free range Chicken – the addition of fennel and orange accentuate the fruit character of the champagne.
Spelt risotto – black truffle and celeriac bring out a new dimension to the champagne.
Scallops – cauliflower, Romanesco cabbage, roasted nuts adding to the crisp finish of the vintage. Recipe card here.
Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs – all the vintages since the inaugural 1959
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1959 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1985 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1961 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1986 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1964 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1988 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1966 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1990 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1969 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1993 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1971 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1996 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1973 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1998 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1975 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2002 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1976 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2004 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1978 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2006 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1979 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2007 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1981 | Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2009 |
| Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1983 |
Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2009 Release date – 16th April 2021 – Buy here.
Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1959
A dish to compliment Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2009
Frédéric Panaïotis, Ruinart Cellar Master
