Ruinart launches duo of vintage Champagnes

Ruinart has released two prestige vintage cuvées under its Dom Ruinart label, the Dom Ruinart 2006 and Dom Ruinart Rosé 2004, which are the first Dom Ruinart vintage releases from the house in three years.

The last Dom vintage release from the Champagne house was the Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2004, which was released in July 2014, and was preceded by the Dom Ruinart Rosé 2002, released in September 2013.

Dom Ruinart 2006 and Dom Ruinart Rosé 2004 resulted from two very different years: “the complex 2006, which had extremes of both cold in winter and heat in summer, and the rather hot and dry 2004”, the Champagne house said.

Like all Dom Ruinarts, the Blanc de Blancs blend is 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay, which in 2006 comprised 63% from the Côte des Blancs (predominantly Chouilly, Le Mesnil and Avize), and 37% from the northern slope of the Montagne de Reims (predominantly Sillery and Puisieulx), compared to 69% and 31% respectively in Dom Ruinart 2004.

“The subtlety and delicacy of Dom Ruinart 2006 belies a complicated wine-growing year, which culminated in a summer of contrasts,” the Champagne house stated. “The July heatwave was followed by a cold and wet August, then a hot, sunny first fortnight of September, which accelerated ripening. It then became cooler again, forcing winemakers to finish picking, so only the very best grapes were kept.

Despite the difficulties, Panaïotis said he was “very happy we made the decision to make a Dom Ruinart in 2006 – it was worth it.”

The Dom Ruinart Rosé 2004 is a blend of 81% Grand Cru Chardonnay – 69% from the Côte des Blancs (Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger) and 31% from the Montagne de Reims (Puisieulx, Sillery) – and 19% Pinot Noir from Sillery, a slight variance from the 20% red wine used in the 2002 composition.

Panaïotis described September 2004 as a “dream”, which led to a healthy harvest and excellent grapes, making up for a gloomy summer. The perfect health of the grapes created a wine with ripe, sweet red-fruit aromatics, tempered by fresh floral and mineral notes.

Both new releases have a lower dosage (4.5g/l) than the previous vintages (5.5g/l).

Suggested retail price for Dom Ruinart Blanc 2006 is £140.00 and Dom Ruinart Rosé 2004 £200.00.