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The best champagne in the world according to the 2024 World Champagne and Sparkling Wine Championships

The best champagne in the world according to the 2024 World Champagne and Sparkling Wine Championships

THE World Champagne and Sparkling Wine Championships gathered in the UK earlier this year for the 11th edition of the annual event. It bills itself as “the world’s largest and most demanding 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 have designated as the “ultimate world champion” – this bottle of champagne to rule them all. The prestigious honor goes to a magnum bottle of Dom Ruinart 2007 Blanc de Blancs. The particularly dry offering from the 295-year-old Champagne house of Reims features noses of fresh grapefruit, almond paste and a touch of jasmine tea. His mouth is grilled and roasted; the brioche and mocha are prominent partners throughout the sip, which ends with a light minty tickle.

It’s a Chardonnay-focused affair, as is the house’s wont. More precisely, its Blanc de Blanc is often based on a blend of 25 to 30 vintages of Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, Sézannais and the Vallée de la Vesle. But in this inaugural vintage of Frédéric Panaïotis, the new Cellar Master favored the fruits of the very first growth mentioned above. The result, according to the famous sommelier Amy Racine“is a wine of remarkable purity and intensity, with lively acidity and a mineral core that enlivens the long, lingering finish. »

We wanted to learn more about what makes this wine so special and Racine, beverage director and partner at JF Restaurants– was only too happy to satisfy our curiosity. Indeed, from a magnum, she affirms that it is “the wine of a lifetime”.

“The magnum is important here because its larger size slows down oxidation to allow room for complex flavors to develop,” she adds. “It also preserves those small, fine bubbles. Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is the most prestigious offering from Maison Ruinart; it ages significantly longer than other Ruinart Champagnes, spending a minimum of nine years on lees before disgorging, well beyond the three years required by the AOC.

The expression 12.5% ​​ABV generally sells for $600 in 1.5 liter format. If it fits your vacation budget, you may want to purchase one sooner rather than later. Honors as big as “supreme world champion” can have an immediate impact on stocks. Plus, American drinkers are preparing to throw away more than 360 million glasses of sparkling wine as New Year’s Eve approaches. So prepare properly.

Even if we cannot find the Blanc de Blancs 2007, Racine remains an ardent defender of all things Ruinart. “As a house, it’s probably the most famous,” she says. “Founded in 1729, it is the oldest existing Champagne house and survived many trials during the world wars. Its emblematic chalk cellars in Reims offer ideal conditions for the aging of their champagnes. Ruinart is particularly famous for its Blanc de Blancs, which highlights the purity and elegance of Côte des Blancs chardonnay grapes.

In other words, if you’re a lover of good wine, it’s not just something worth toasting. with…That’s something worth toasting has.