1996 Dom Ruinart
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Tasting notes
100% Chardonnay. Magnum. Pale yellow colour. Rather light nose. No excess of fruit on the palate! Bone dry but a nice texture. Rather muted and well mannered. Very polite. No sweetness. But well balanced. I should imagine in bottle sizes this wine is at its apogee (but the drink dates refer to this magnum size). Very fresh and clean and brisk with a certain nuttiness. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 1996 Dom Ruinart is a wine of pure texture. Smoke, butter, spices, wild flowers and apricot pit are some of the many notes that give the 1996 its breadth and volume. The expansive, resonant finish is particularly of note.
The 1996 Dom Ruinart is beginning to enter the second stage of its life post-release, where the aromas and flavors are starting to show hints of development. Orange peel, apricot jam, spices and mint are all vivid and beautifully delineated in the glass. The 1996 remains fresh and vibrant on the palate, with remarkable depth and more than enough pure intensity to drink well for another 15-20 years. Readers looking for a 1996 Champagne to drink now will find considerable pleasure in the 1996.
60% Côte des Blancs, 40% Montagne de Reims. 100% Chardonnay, fermented in stainless steel, 100% malolactic fermentation, and dosage 10 g/l. Disgorged September 2007. The coolest year in the last 20! Tasted from magnum. Some age but still very piercing. Some putty and bread on the nose. Citrus and minerality. Lighter than many 1996s. Very very fresh, very long, definitely citrus. Still a bit chewy. (JR)