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Ruinart Blanc de Blanc & Rose Champagne NV

     We began our New Year's Eve celebration with Ruinart Blanc de Blanc NV Champagne. We served it with a cold spread of salted almonds, organic potato chips with sea salt, mild cheddar and smoked swiss cheese and fresh raspberries and blackberries. Warm appetizers of crostini with chevre cheese melted on top, broiled shrimp in lemon butter and roasted potato skins topped with bacon, cheese and sour cream were brought out next. All of these worked wonderfully with this style of Champagne. In the glass, this wine was a pale gold color with endless bubbles. It had crisp aromas and flavors of peach, lemon and grapefruit which rounded out into a medium-length creamy finish.
     This course was followed with the Ruinart Brut Rose and broiled lobster tails with melted butter. In the glass, the Rose was a salmon-pink and equally effervescent. It had fresh, fruity aromas and flavors of raspberry, cherry and orange peel which ended with a medium-length, tart berry finish. After midnight, we finished the evening with large strawberries and melted dark chocolate for dipping. Absolutely delicious!
     I think the antique bottle shape is what initially attracted us to the House of Ruinart Champagne. It always makes a unique impression upon serving but the quality of the contents is why we continue to purchase it.


Happy New Year!

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