Ruinart Champagne

Discover Ruinart champagne

The world's oldest champagne house, founded in Reims on September 1, 1729. Ruinart was born thanks to Nicolas Ruinart, inspired by the writings of his uncle Dom Thierry Ruinart, a Benedictine monk with a passion for sparkling wine production. Nearly three centuries later, the house has lost none of its founding character: Chardonnay reigns supreme in all its cuvées, the Gallo-Roman chalk quarries of Reims watch over every bottle, and contemporary art is in constant dialogue with history. Ruinart didn't follow champagne, it preceded it.

The House of Ruinart

Nicolas Ruinart, aged 32, wrote in his account book on September 1, 1729, that he was starting a business dedicated to "bubble wine". The ledger still occupies pride of place in the entrance hall of the house. Initially a textile merchant, Nicolas Ruinart made the bold decision to abandon the textile business and devote himself entirely to champagne in 1736, barely six years after producing his first bottle.
In the mid-18th century, Claude Ruinart, nicknamed the "traveler", took over the management of the house and established commercial relations with various European countries. In the mid-19th century, his descendants commissioned Czech artist Alphonse Mucha to create what is considered the first advertisement for a Champagne house, forging a close and enduring relationship between Ruinart and the art world. In 1768, the house was established on the Saint-Nicaise hill in Reims, following the acquisition of land and chalk quarries known as "Le Moulin de la House". Claude Ruinart's descendants ran the company until 1963, when they joined forces with Moët & Chandon. In 1987, the group was taken over by LVMH.

Ruinart Champagne terroir and style

The house looks after two historic vineyards, Sillery and Taissy. Sillery, the only terroir classified Grand Cru de Chardonnay near Reims, is one of the oldest listed Grands Crus. Classified as a Premier Cru, the Taissy vineyard appears in the archives as early as 1733, four years after the company was founded. The grapes are mainly selected from the Côte des Blancs and the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims, on chalky soils, a true signature of Champagne geology, which play a key role in the mineral expression and freshness of Ruinart champagnes.
Chardonnay is the central grape variety, present in all the house's cuvées. The champagnes are aged in Champagne's only cellars, classified as a historic site since 1931 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015: 8 kilometers of galleries on several levels, dug more than 38 meters deep into the white chalk of the Cretaceous period. Since 2024, all Ruinart vineyards have been certified organic, with the aim of converting the entire vineyard to organic farming by 2030.

Ruinart cuvées

R de Ruinart

R de Ruinart is the entry-level cuvée of the House of Ruinart, accessible and representative. Harmonious blend of Chardonnay (40%), Pinot Noir (40-45%) and Meunier (10-15%), made from 40-50 different crus from Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims. With notes of reinette apple, apricot, fresh almond and brioche, this is a generous and immediately seductive champagne, a perfect introduction to the world of Ruinart.

Blanc de Blancs

Blanc de Blancs is the signature cuvée, the one that best embodies the house's DNA. Made exclusively from Chardonnay from 25 to 30 different crus, mostly from the Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, Sézannais and Vallée de la Vesle regions. To the eye, a brilliant pale yellow color with almond green highlights; to the nose, aromas of ripe citron, juicy pear and freshly picked peach, complemented by white flowers and a spicy touch of ginger and pink berries. A cuvée of elegant simplicity, both fresh and round.

Ruinart Rosé

Le Ruinart Rosé is a harmonious blend that combines the aromatic freshness of Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims (45%) with the deliciousness of Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and Vallée de la Marne (43% vinified as white and 12% vinified as red). With its coral and rosewood hues, it reveals intense aromas of tropical fruits - pomegranate, lychee, guava - complemented by floral essences of rose and freshly picked red fruit. A non-vintage cuvée of remarkable consistency and gourmandise.

Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

The ultimate prestige cuvée, a tribute to the monk who started it all. Created in 1959, Dom Ruinart pays tribute to the man behind the family's champagne vocation. Created in the best years, each exceptional vintage rests for several years in the crayères of Reims. 100% Chardonnay from the Grands Crus vineyards of the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, aged an average of ten years to develop delicate minerality and incomparable aromatic complexity.

Dom Ruinart Rosé

Exceptional, precise, chiselled, Dom Ruinart Rosé is a rare vintage cuvée that celebrates only the best harvests. The Guide Hachette jury awarded it a 3-star Coup de Coeur for the 2024 edition. It owes its elegance and finesse to a blend of Chardonnays and Pinots Noirs Grands Crus, aged for a minimum of eight years in the house's chalk cellars. One of the most sought-after prestige rosé cuvées in Champagne.

Did you know?

In 2023, the sommelier at Paul Bocuse' s restaurant in Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or discovered several hundred-year-old bottles of Ruinart in the chef's personal cellar, originally destined for the English market. Now kept in the company's wine library in Reims, these bottles represent the oldest vintage kept by Ruinart.