Champagne Dom Ruinart Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Flaschengärung 2002

Robert Parker: From the late-disgorged La Réserve program, offered exclusively at the maison, the 2002 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs—disgorged in February 2024 with a dosage of four grams per liter—has matured with grace. It unveils a bouquet of kaleidoscopic complexity, featuring notes of mandarin, roasted cacao bean, burnt buttered toast and a delicate touch of Timur pepper, singed with house's smoky signature. On the palate, it is full-bodied, multidimensional and ample, with a rich fruit core enlivened by lively acidity and a pillowy mousse, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Its depth and texture come without sacrificing energy or tension, and it is currently drinking superbly. 96/100 (2025)

Decanter: La Réserve is a late-disgorged edition of Dom Ruinart that can be tasted at Ruinart's new visitor centre in Reims. While the standard bottles of 2002 are revelling in maturity, La Réserve (disgorged in Spring 2022) is pulled right into focus with just two years' ageing post-disgorgement. The buttery, caramelised richness is reduced in favour of charry lemon and starfruit fragrance, sparky gunpowder and pine with an energising peppery spiciness; this may be coming from secondary fermentation under cork, rather than crown cap. The sunny, ripe side of the 2022 vintage is flattered beautifully by a sense of calm restraint and satin-smooth mousse texture after almost 20 years on lees. Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims. 96/100 (2024)

Wine Spectator: Shows beautiful, lacy texture, weaving persistent and mouthwatering acidity with flavors of patisserie pear, dried apricot, almond paste, pickled ginger, acacia blossom and clover honey. This is underscored by a rich note of smoky minerality that rings out on the finish. Drink now through 2030. 96/100