2013 Champagne Ruinart Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2013

Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is the prestige cuvée of Maison Ruinart and is only produced in years when Chardonnay possesses sufficient tension, depth, and length. The 2013 is a particularly successful edition. It was a cool and slow-ripening year in Champagne, giving the wine great freshness, precision, and aging potential.

This Champagne is made from 100% Chardonnay and combines the refinement of Blanc de Blancs with the aging and complexity characteristic of Dom Ruinart. The wine was disgorged in July 2023 after nine years of aging sur lattes. The dosage is 5.5 grams per liter. This provides just enough roundness to balance the fresh acidity of 2013, without softening the tight, chalky style.

Taste profile of Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2013

In the glass, the wine displays a refined mousse and a bright, energetic style. The aroma opens with toasted notes, bread dough, fresh hazelnut, and dried citrus. Following these come nashi pear, orange, honey, chamomile, hyacinth, and a light smoky touch. The briny side is also noticeable, with associations of shell, chalk, and a subtly reductive character.

The taste is medium to full-bodied, yet remains tight and precise. The mousse feels soft and fine, while the acidity is clearly present. This gives the wine its tension and length. The finish is dry, chalky, and very clean. The 2013 is less broad and open than, for example, the riper 2009, but precisely for that reason, it is particularly interesting for lovers of tense, mineral Champagne.

Harvest, vinification and aging

The year 2013 is regarded as one of the last classic, cool years in Champagne. The grapes ripened slowly and were harvested relatively late. For Chardonnay, this is favorable when the grapes reach sufficient ripeness, as it ensures aroma, acidity, and a pronounced mineral structure.

The long nine-year aging on lees plays a major role in the style. This gives the wine its notes of brioche, bread dough, roasted nuts, and fine toast. At the same time, the base remains tight and fresh. The dosage of 5.5 grams per liter is slightly higher than in some earlier releases, but is clearly functional. It tempers the fresh acidity of the cool year without altering the dry, precise style.

Reviews and drink window

Claire Nesbitt awards the Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut 2013 97 points. She describes the wine as savory, toasty, and complex, with aromas of toasted bread, mussel shells, chamomile, honey, and dried citrus. The wine is described as silky smooth and seamless, with a crisp backbone of acidity that holds everything together.

The Wine Advocate awards 96+ points. Kristaps Karklins calls the 2013 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs a triumph of the late Frédéric Panaïotis. He highlights the aromas of fresh hazelnut, nashi pear, orange, hyacinth, bread dough, Sichuan pepper, and a subtle smokiness. The drinking window runs from 2026 to 2043. This makes this a Champagne that is already impressive, but above all has great potential for further bottle aging.

Food and wine pairings with Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

This is a gastronomic Champagne. Thanks to the combination of acidity, mousse, toast, citrus, and briny minerality, it pairs excellently with refined seafood dishes. Think of oysters, turbot, scallops, langoustines, or lobster with a light sauce. Dishes with beurre blanc, cauliflower, parsnip, hazelnut, or truffle also complement the riper Chardonnay notes beautifully.

Do not serve the wine too cold. A temperature of 10 to 12 degrees gives the aromas more room to develop. A tulip glass or a large white wine glass works better than a narrow flute, because this Champagne has great aromatic depth.

Would you like to order Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2013 online?

The 2013 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is a Champagne for lovers of great Blanc de Blancs, featuring tension, length, and aging potential. Order this Champagne easily online at Grandcruwijnen. Collection in Dordrecht is also possible. Our sommeliers will be happy to advise you on serving temperature, drinking occasion, and suitable food and wine pairings.