The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships convened in the UK earlier this year for the 11th iteration of the annual event. It bills itself as the “world’s largest and toughest sparkling wine competition,” attracting some of the most respected experts in the field for several days of rigorous blind tastings.
We now have the results of what they ordained as the “supreme world champion” — that one bottle of bubbly to rule them all. The prestigious honor belongs to a magnum bottle of Dom Ruinart 2007 Blanc de Blancs. The especially dry offering from the 295-year-old Champagne house in Reims, France noses with fresh grapefruit, marzipan and a hint of jasmine tea. Its palate is toasty and roasty; brioche and mocha are prominent partners throughout the sip, which concludes with a slight menthol tickle.
It’s a chardonnay-driven affair, as is customary for the house. Specifically, its Blanc de Blanc has often relied on a blend of 25–30 chardonnay crus from the Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, Sézannais, and La Vallée de la Vesle. But in this inaugural vintage from Frédéric Panaïotis, the newly-minted Chef de Caves has prioritized fruit from that very first cru listed above. The result, according to celebrated sommelier Amy Racine, “is a wine of remarkable purity and intensity, with bright acidity and a mineral core that drives the long, persistent finish.”
Acclaimed sommelier Amy Racine holds up a bottle of one of her favorite champagnes.
We wanted to know more about what makes this wine so special and Racine—beverage director and partner at JF Restaurants—was all too happy to indulge our curiosity. Indeed, out of a magnum, she maintains that it is “the wine of a lifetime.”
“The magnum is important here as the larger size slows down oxidation to allow space for complex flavor development,” she adds. “It also preserves those small, fine bubbles. Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is Maison Ruinart’s most prestigious offering; it ages significantly longer than other Ruinart Champagnes, spending a minimum of nine years on the lees before disgorgement, well beyond the required three years by the AOC.”
The 12.5% ABV expression typically retails for $600 in the 1.5-liter format. If that’s within your holiday budget you might want to snag one sooner rather than later. Accolades as weighty as “supreme world champion” can have an immediate impact on inventory. Plus, US drinkers are poised to throw back more than 360 million glasses of sparkling wine in the lead up to New Year’s Eve. So prepare properly.
Even if you can’t find the 2007 Blanc de Blancs, Racine remains quite a vocal advocate for all things Ruinart. “As a house, it is arguably the most renowned,” she contends. “Founded in 1729, it’s the oldest Champagne house in existence and survived many challenges during the World Wars. Its iconic chalk cellars in Reims provide ideal conditions for aging their champagnes. Ruinart is particularly celebrated for its Blanc de Blancs, which showcases the purity and elegance of chardonnay grapes from the Côte des Blancs region.”
In other words, if you’re a fan of fine wine, this isn’t just something worth toasting with…It’s something worth toasting to.
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 21: Ruinart champagne bottles are on display inside the iconic art deco … [+]