Wine Ratings

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Bright yellow. Powerful smoke- and ginger-accented aromas of poached pear, honey and white flowers, along with a suave mineral overtone and a hint of toasted brioche. Sappy and buttery on entry, then tighter in the middle, offering intense citrus and orchard fruit flavors underscored by a chalky mineral nuance. At once fleshy and energetic, finishing with outstanding clarity, thrust and smoky length. Cream-colored label, indicating a later disgorgement, in this case 2012, as opposed to the earlier disgorged black label version, which was disgorged in 2011. LHWCB9.Vinous Media | 95 VM(Ruinart, Dom Ruinart, Champagne, France, White) Dom Ruinart 2002 is a blessed creation with 72% Avize and Chouilly and more surprisingly 28% Chardonnay from Pinot villages like Sillery and Puisieulx. Painfully youthful but already completely harmonious. All the bits and pieces are there in small portions and time will make them stronger and deeper. (Drink between 2016-2028)Decanter | 94 DE(Dom Riunart Blanc de Blancs Brut (Reims)) The 2002 Dom Riunart Blanc de Blancs is a pretty good example of the vintage, but in their rarefied air of pricing, I was expecting a bit more. Perhaps the wine is just too young to be showing a lot in the mid-palate, as it is certainly quite structured today, offering up youthful scents of lemon peel, grapefruit, sourdough bread, chalky minerality and a touch of straw in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium-full, tight and frothy, with a fien core, brisk, snappy acids and good length and grip on the primary finish that closes with a touch of bitterness from citrus peel flavors. This may just need cellaring to come into its own. (Drink between 2018-2035)John Gilman | 92 JG

Beautifully balanced and refined in texture, this displays exotic ground spice and floral accents to the flavors of poached white peach, Meyer lemon and candied ginger, with hints of pastry and honey. Offers a lasting, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2023. 2,917 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(full malo; 9 g/l dosage; LAH9T): Light yellow-gold. Smoky citrus and orchard fruits on the deeply perfumed, mineral-tinged nose. Offers broad, toasty orange and pear skin flavors with an undercurrent of dusty minerals. Picks up floral and ginger nuances with air, along with hints of iodine and tarragon. Rich yet lively blanc de blancs with powerful back-end lift and finishing grip.Vinous Media | 92 VMWith its 100% Chardonnay, this Champagne is finely textured, elegant with minerality and the freshest crispest apple flavors. It does have some weight and certainly has intensity—a satisfying, textured wine that is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEIf chardonnay could be a red wine, it might have the red fruit flavors of this blanc de blancs. Perhaps it’s the floral aspects that turn its chamomile and yellow flower notes toward violets, or the deep earth tones adding color to the flavor. The fruit is persistent, sunny in the middle, then shaded by an almost tannic character to the lees that places the wine with food, particularly roast veal. Moët Hennessy USA, NYWine & Spirits | 92 W&SThis blanc de blancs (100% Chardonnay) is sourced mostly from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, including a portion of premier cru vineyards. It has a lean, lemon and apple bite backed up by some smooth creaminess. It’s fuller in body than stablemate Veuve Clicquot, displaying good acidity and power. Dosage 9g/l.Decanter | 91 DECSuper curated reduction here, heading into slightly meaty territory with grapefruit, toasted lemon peel and hazelnuts. The palate is delivered in a smooth, sweet-fruited style with approachable peach flesh. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JS(NV Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut NV (Reims)) The current release of Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs non-vintage Brut is fermented in stainless steel, goes through full malolactic and was finished off with a dosage of nine grams per liter. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a bright blend of lemon, apple, warm bread, a touch of smokiness, dried flowers and a lovely base of soil. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and focused, with brisk acids, frothy mousse, good cut and grip and a long, still fairly youthful finish. This has plenty of acidity, so its dosage comes across as lower than its nine grams. This will have no difficulty aging gracefully, but is already quite tasty. (Drink between 2016-2035)John Gilman | 91+ JGThis is a fabulous version of Ruinart’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs. The wine seems fresher, more vibrant and less obviously sweet than in the past, all of which makes this a far more interesting wine. The trademark profile of lemon, jasmine and green apples is very much in the forefront while the wine’s textural finesse and length are both first-class. This release of the NV Brut makes a great introduction to the wines of Ruinart, Champagne’s oldest house. This is Lot LAGJSAF. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

(55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay; 9 g/l dosage; LAH9V): Light orange. Sharply focused red berry and tangerine scents are complicated by suggestions of allspice and cinnamon, with a hint of smokiness in the background. Sappy and minerally on the palate, offering fresh strawberry and blood orange flavors lifted by juicy acidity. Packs a serious punch but carries no excess weight and finishes stony and very long, with echoing red berry character.Vinous Media | 92 VM...Sharply focused red berry and tangerine scents are complicated by suggestions of allspice and cinnamon, with a hint of smokiness in the background. Sappy and minerally on the palate, offering fresh strawberry and blood orange flavors lifted by juicy acidity. Packs a serious punch but carries no excess weight and finishes stony and very long, with echoing red berry character.Vinous Media | 92 VMRaspberry and nectarine fruit flavors are ripe and appealing in this elegant rosé Champagne, with a fine, satiny mousse, neatly layered with accents of ground ginger, blanched almond and blood orange pith. Lightly mouthwatering, offering a lingering finish. Drink now through 2021.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, and featuring around 25% reserve wines, this is 100% premier cru fruit from the Montagne des Reims and Côte des Blancs. Almost a third of the Pinot Noir was vinified as a still wine. A deep coral colour, this is fresh and youthful, with rounded wild red berry fruit, and hint of rose. With some time in the glass, it develops deeper, complex, more exotic notes, leading to a long and lively finish. Dosage: 8g/L. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 92 DECStrawberry and pomegranate-infused yeasty autolysis aromas with freshly baked pastry and fresh bready notes. The palate has ripe peach fruits, strawberries and some hints of pink grapefruit. Sweetness, richness and a lively acid kick. Berry pie finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS(NV Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé NV (Reims)) The new release of non-vintage Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé is really a beautiful color, with cherry highlights in its deep salmon most inviting. The cépages is forty-five percent chardonnay and fifty-five percent pinot noir, with the wine going through full malo and finished with a dosage of nine grams per liter. I do not know what percentage of the pinot noir in the blend is still wine. The nose is really first class, wafting from the glass in a deep and complex blend of cherries, blood orange, rye bread, complex soil tones, a touch of cinnamon stick, orange peel and rose petals in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and solid at the core, with fine focus and grip, lovely balance, elegant mousse and a long, classy finish. Good juice that should be even better with a few years’ worth of bottle age. (Drink between 2016-2035).John Gilman | 91+ JGIn the generous style that is Ruinart, the wine is full with red fruits that are mouthfilling and rich. At the same time, there is a crisp streak of mineral texture that cuts through the wine to give a bright aftertaste. Drink this beautifully balanced Champagne now.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE