Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. Size matters.
Champagne in magnum size bottle is king when we have to celebrate an anniversary, a success or for gorgeous parties. I like the way it looks in the ice bucket for its creating a sensation of extravagance. In magnum, the freshness, vigor and complexity is matchless. The wine develops multiple layers of flavors which cannot be found in any other format
In bigger bottles wine develops slower. The bigger the dimension of the bottle the smaller the quantity of oxygen penetrates through its neck. The fermentation process is slower and the result is more texture and complexity in the wine. Removing the sediment from the bottle is done later giving the wine time to integrate aromas and develop more intensity.
In the drawing room of Maison Ruinart, on Rue de Creyeres in Reims, everything is prepared for the comparative tasting of Blanc de Blancs NV, the most popular champagne of Ruinart. We are going to taste it from 3 l format bottle, Jeroboam, from Magnum of 1,5 l and from standard size of 0,750 l. I am so excited and curious. I have just read an article about a similar tasting set up by Jancis Robinson in London and here I am, having the same opportunity.
Appreciating wine is directly related to understanding its origins, knowing the people who have been created it and the history that has been consolidated it. How could I appreciate the real value of champagne without sensing the smell of the chalky cellars deeply dug into the soil of Reims? At 40 m depth, in the silence and chill of the earth at 9 degrees C, thousands of bottles of champagne are developing in a continuous process of perfection that has been lasting already for more than 300 years. Amelie Chatin, the young oenologist of Ruinat describes the Ruinart philosophy: ” Ruinat style is fresh and aromatic and it emphasizes the different aromas of Chardonnay, the main grape it is made from. The particular bottle shape with its long and narrow neck facilitates the reductive style as it minimizes the oxygen contacts and keeps the pure aromas of the grapes”
Maison Ruinart is the oldest house of champagne. Founded in 1728 by Nicolas Ruinart it is one of the sixth properties which owns Les Creyeres in Reims, the roman chalk pits transformed into underground cellars. Les Creyeres are historic monuments belonging to UNESCO World Heritage since 2015. They bear the clear testimony to the development of a very specialized artisan activity. Ruinart is known for exporting for the first time rose champagne. It reaches climate of freshness and balance with its R de Ruinart style and is famous for the sophisticated cuvee prestige Dom Ruinart.
Blanc de Blancs NV is my favorite. Sunny and elegant, it express the purity of chardonnay, the grape it is made entirely of. Fine and cordial, it fits perfectly to my gastronomic profile.
We start tasting from the standard bottle. Aromatic, with delicate effervescence, flavors of grapefruit and lime, spicy notes of ginger and white pepper and white flowers specific for this grape variety. Versatile and elegant, it is a preferred choice of sommeliers and chefs of gastronomic restaurants around the world. Could it be better in a bigger size bottle?
As soon as I bring the glass close to my nose I sense a smoky touch and a high intensity. It is fresh and creamy with notes of nuts added during the development in the bottle. It reaches perfect balance among complexity, vitality and intensity, the favorite of everybody in the room proving that size matters as in magnum the wine develops slower, multilateral and keeps its freshness for longer period.
In 3 l bottle chardonnay expresses more layers of aromas as a natural effect of the long aging process. The smoky note and the creamy aspect intensify. Deep and round, the wine emphasizes a unique aromatic complexity. Blended entirely from the grapes of 2008, it is virtually a vintage champagne. Jeroboam seduces me with its multiple aromatic shades and the hue of aging and oxidation which gives expressivity as a wrinkle does to a bright complexion. It is one of those champagne which I adore, as it challenges my mind and my senses .
Definitely size matters, but taste is a strange thing as Victor Hugo said ” can and does exist beyond morality, reason, courtesy, progress, truth, reality, shame, consciousness “ Proses Philosophiques 1860-1865
I wish you a sparkling, seductive and balanced new year 2017
Olimpia Plesa Brandhuber
