Winemaker Notes
This exceptionnal vintage celebrates the savoir-faire of the people at the heart of each bottle. This cuvée is, above all, defined by an ageing process that brings more complexity and depth.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2010 Dom Ruinart is every bit as magnificent as it has always been. This bottle, from the first disgorgement, is tremendous. I especially admire its explosive intensity. Citrus peel, flowers, white pepper, chalk and slate all stain the palate. Chef de Caves Frédéric Panaïotis turned out a masterpiece. The 2010 Dom Ruinart is quite simply one of the greatest wines made in Champagne over the last several decades. It's certainly one the finest young Champagnes I have ever tasted. Don't miss it!
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Wine Spectator
A mineral-driven Champagne, creamy and compact, this deftly meshes a layer of smoke, chalk and saline with detailed flavors of glazed apple and apricot, roasted hazelnut and ginger-infused pastry cream carried on a raw silky mousse. The fine texture softens the firm spine of chiseled acidity that structures the wine, and hints of white blossoms, Meyer lemon and oyster shell play on the finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2010 Champagne Ruinart Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Extra Dry is about precision. TASTING NOTES: This wine excels with aromas and flavors of wet stone, chalk, and savory spices. Pair it with steamed razor clams in a light black pepper and garlic broth. (Tasted: July 14, 2022, Menlo Park, CA)
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James Suckling
Almost like a white, with a smoky and flinty nose. Dried lemons, cedar, smoked almonds, spiced apples, hazelnuts, salted butter and toast. Tangy and sharp, yet creamy and buttery, too, with fine bubbles. Hazelnuts at the end.
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is the emblem of the House, and it is the perfect expression of the Ruinart taste. It is comprised of 100% Chardonnay grapes grown primarily with Premiers Crus from the Côte de Blancs and Montagne de Reims terroirs, both prized for their aromatic finesse.
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’