The 1996 Brut Dom Ruinart Vintage has just begun to develop some of the tertiary notes that are commonly found in this wine. The 1996 is a large-scaled Dom Ruinart that boasts notable intensity and purity in its ripe varietal fruit. With some time in the glass, notes of licorice, mint, spices, minerals and smoke come forward, adding further complexity. The 1996 looks to be a stellar Dom Ruinart: This is Lot: ADKTA3, disgorged March 2006. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019. Ruinart is Champagne’s oldest house, with a history that dates back to 1729. The wines are quite well-known around the world, but less so in the US, where the estate is making an effort to re-establish its presence. Today the wines are made under the guidance of Chef de Caves Frederic Panaiotis, who clearly has an outsize passion for these Champagnes as well as the house’s rich heritage. Although Ruinart is best known for their vintage Blanc de Blancs, the Rose is perhaps even more fascinating, particularly after a few years in bottle, which in important vintages allows for the Pinot Noir to speak with great eloquence. The Ruinart wines tend to be medium in body and are made with levels of dosage that are closer to the high end of the spectrum. Although the back labels show codes which can be tracked to disgorgement dates, it would be nice to see Ruinart provide disgorgement dates for its wines. Importer: Moet Hennessy USA, New York, NY; tel. (212) 251-8200