Highlights: Champagne Ruinart Rosé NV

Ruinart like their history. They were the first established Champagne House in 1729. And also the first to make a rosé Champagne, with records showing that they shipped this in March 1764. This impressive rosé is a blend of 45% Chardonnay (from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims) and 55% Pinot Noir (from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne), of which a fifth is red wine. The blend includes 20 to 25% reserve wines the previous two years. In a move that’s to be applauded, Ruinart have ditched environmentally unfriendly gift packaging in favour of a ‘second skin’, which is a white covering made from wood fibre and is completely recyclable. This also helps protect the wine from light.

Ruinart in its second skin

Ring (TR) and I recently tasted this wine independently.

Champagne Ruinart Rosé NV France
12.5% alcohol. Quite a deep coral pink/orange pink colour. Appealing aromas of cherries and almond with some citrus brightness. In the mouth there’s lovely fruit, with more cherry character and some nice bright lemony notes, but also some subtle savoury complexity with toast, a touch of waxiness and a nice bitterness on the finish. This is a lovely full flavoured expression of rosé Champagne, offering depth and complexity, but always keeping the fruit to the fore. Really impressive. 93/100 (JG) (£69.99 Majestic, mix six price)

Ruinart was the first Champange house to produce rosé champagne, back in the 18th century. Today’s incarnation sources 45% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims vineyards, and 55% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne, 18 to 19% of which is still wine, and all 1er Cru. Reserve wines from the previous 2 years make up 20 to 25% of the blend. After approximately 3 years on lees, this is disgorged with 9 g/L. Lively and vibrant on the palate, with wild raspberries, tiny strawberries, red currants, perfumed plum blossoms, lit with a brisk rhubarb acidity, and lined with a fine chalky lattice that continues on the lingering finish. The core is gently plump via lees, and buzzing via chalk. A classic beauty. 93/100 (TR)

Find these wines with wine-searcher.com