2013 Dom Ruinart

Dom Ruinart 2013 is a blanc de blancs of lithe, satin-smooth beauty already upon release, very much built around the reserved, cool energy of the 2013 vintage. This cuvée's new aromatic range, amplified since the 2010 release by toasty, spicy energy brought on by bottle fermentation under cork (sous liège), is very much at play. However, with undertones of roasting coffee, honey and fresh walnut playing with smoky gunflint and nougat richness as the gentle lemon, lime and even tropical fruit eases out with time in the glass. It's narrow rather than austere, gently sea-salt-savoury rather than lip-smackingly mineral or chalky – a Dom Ruinart with a long, long life ahead, but an equally rewarding window already opening up. Chardonnay from Le Mesnil, Avize, Chouilly, Bergères-les-Vertus, Sillery, Verzenay and Taissy, disgorged after nine years on lees.

The 2013 Dom Ruinart is a very pretty, delicate Champagne, Light on its feet, airy and gracious, the 2013 is all about understatement. Citrus confit, white truffle, mint, spice and baked pastry inflections add to its exquisite finesse. There is a touch of lees reduction from aging on the cork, but that note dissipates over time. Delayed flowering set the stage for a harvest that started on September 30, about twenty days later than what has become the norm since. The 2013 is the second vintage aged on cork. Interestingly Chef de Caves Frederic Panaiatis commented that the move towards aging on cork necessitated changes in vineyard sites as well. As a result, the 2013 is the first Dom Runart to include fruit from Bergères-les-Vertus, at the very southern tip of the Côte de Blancs. The final blend is 70% Côte de Blancs and 30% Montagne de Reims across eight villages. This will be a fascinating Champagne to follow over the coming years and decades. Today, I find it on the quiet, hushed side. Dosage is 55 grams per liter. Dugorged February 2023