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Champagne Yves Ruffin Cuvée Racines Extra Brut Premier Cru NV Wine - Last Bottle

Champagne Yves Ruffin Cuvée Racines Extra Brut Premier Cru NV

Organically farmed since 1971, this grower in the Marne Valley makes wines with powerful acidity and lively fruitiness that surprises and delights at every turn.

$99
$150

Retail

34
Flavor Profile: Baker’s yeast, pomelo, lime, blood orange, hen of the woods mushrooms, baked apples, and pears
Time on Lees: 48 Months
Disgorgement Date: 2023
Dosage: 3.0 g/L
Score: TP96

Why We Love It...

We love a family grower who looks at winemaking as more than just a job or paycheck. Yves Ruffin set out to make Champagne differently, exceptionally so, in the ‘70s – and his family has been carrying on the tradition ever since. This expansive and creamy 96-point Racines Extra Brut Premier Cru NV is an epic showing from this small but mighty family producer who is sure to continue turning heads. They’ve certainly got our attention.

Founded in 1971 in Avenay-Val-d’Or, Champagne Yves Ruffin has stood out from the crowd from its inception with a strong focus on organic viticulture – which, at the time, was exceedingly rare. Yves and his wife, Odette Pitois – both born into grower families – were just one of four winegrowers, out of thousands, at this time to concentrate on organic practices in order to preserve their environment. Yves also worked with his son, Thierry, to dig his property’s cellar in the chalky Champagne subsoil, which was finally completed in the ‘90s. Eventually, the family expanded its holdings to a few hectares of vineyards in Tauxières-Mutry, overlapping both Vallée de la Marne and la Montagne de Reims. Yves began partnering with local artists to craft one-of-a-kind labels for his cuvees in the mid-’90s, as well.

A true family business, after Yves’ retirement, the winery passed hands to Thierry, who continued forging a path for organic farming, oak barrel vinification, traditional pressing, and lengthy aging practices. Unfortunately, Thierry passed away prematurely, and his wife, Sylvie, and then son, Antonin, took the reins and continued the family legacy in Thierry’s honor. 

Whew, is it getting dusty in here? I don’t know about you, but a family that comes together with support and a common mission is something I will always wholeheartedly champion. Not to mention, when that family happens to make some seriously impressive, rich, complex Champagnes of the highest caliber and quality…it’s a no-brainer. I’m all in. And this NV “Racines” (which translates to “roots”) further exemplifies the gift of winemaking in this dedicated family. A celebration of the estate’s reserve wines, it pulls 74% chardonnay from 2016 and 2017, plus 26% pinot noir from vintages spanning 2012 to 2017. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation to preserve and enhance freshness, followed by vinifying on oak and acacia wood before disgorgement in February 2023 and an Extra Brut dosage of 3 g/L.

The result is astoundingly terrific…rich and autolytic, with tons of mineral complexity that carries ample citrus notes of pomelo, lime, and blood orange. There’s a nutty, toasty characteristic that the 96-point review aptly describes as hen of the woods mushroom, and as that is one of my all-time favorite fungi – I’m here for it! The creamy mousse lingers impressively, and baked apples and pears develop in the glass over time. Fantastic stuff that will compete with the cult-y big boys and girls of Champagne’s greats. Our price got it from triple digits to double – which, in our minds, absolutely grants the permission to order at LEAST two. Do with that what you will!

Scores

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Fizz Meter

Technical Details

Country: France
Region: Champagne
Appellation: Champagne Premier Cru
Varietal: Champagne Blends
Blend: 73.5% Chardonnay and 26.5% Pinot Noir
Winemaker: Antonin Ruffin
Oak: 48 months on the lees with 3 g/L dosage
Alcohol: 12.5%
Pair it with: Mushroom risotto

About the Producer

Founded in 1971, with a focus on organic viticulture, Champagne Yves Ruffin has focused on producing terrior driven wines from their 3 hectare estate that overlaps the Vallée de la Marne and la Montagne de Reims appellations.

Champagne Yves Ruffin Cuvée Racines Extra Brut Premier Cru NV

$99
$150

Retail

34

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