From a late ripening season, the 2013 Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc De Blancs Extra Brut is a wine that’s going to harken to the past. It’s expressive in the glass, offering up aromas of custard, white flowers, pastry, grapefruit, and pear. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied, with a rounded mid-palate and a lovely, elegant texture with a lot of refinement. It has a razor edge in its persistent drive on the palate, so it’s going to take time to soften and round out, but it’s a very impressive wine for this vintage. Disgorged in February of 2023.

The 2013 Dom Ruinart remains rather airy and light on its feet. Citrus peel, slate, chalk, mint and white pepper lend notable brightness throughout. This is a very pretty Dom Ruinart, but it is also not ready to drink. It remains a bit light texturally. It will be interesting to see if this fleshes out with more time in bottle. That said, the 2013 is coming along very nicely. October harvests have become exceedingly rare in Champagne. Dosage is 5.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 2023.

Oyster-shell nose, lemon and green apple, a touch of smoke and toffee on the finish. Lingering savoury mushroom and river-pebble character – this is channelling good white burgundy, and has a few more years to go before entering its peak period. (RH)

100% Chardonnay. Dating back to 1729, Ruinart is the oldest ‘house’ in Champagne. 70% Côte des Blancs, 30% Montagne de Reims. Aged in vat, with malolactic conversion, aged a minimum 9 years on the lees. Dosage 5.5 g/l. Wonderfully complex vintage Blanc de Blancs with complex biscuity notes. Zesty citrus, notable acidity. Concentrated and very fine. (AWH)