Champagne Ruinart
Champagne house in Reims, Montagne de Reims.
- Village
- Reims
- Region
- Montagne de Reims
- Type of house
- NM · Négociant Manipulant
- Founded
- 1729
- Cuvées in the guide
- 24
Ruinart is the oldest surviving champagne house in the world, founded on 1 September 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart in Reims. The house is known as a "Chardonnay house" and has been part of the luxury goods group LVMH since 1987. The historic cellars, the crayères, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offer an ideal climate for ageing.
History and Innovation Dom Thierry Ruinart, a Benedictine monk and confidant of Dom Pérignon, laid the foundations for the production of sparkling wine. Nicolas Ruinart launched the first commercial champagne trading house in 1729 and introduced the world's first rosé champagne in 1764. Since 1768 the house has been based at 4 rue des Crayères, where it transformed Gallo-Roman chalk quarries into 8 kilometres of underground cellars. In October 2024 a new visitor centre, designed by architect Sou Fujimoto, opened.
Vineyards and Sustainability Although Ruinart traditionally buys grapes from more than seventy producers, the house owns two historic plots:
- A 7-hectare estate in Sillery (Grand Cru Chardonnay).
- A 40-hectare estate in Taissy (Premier Cru), made up half of Chardonnay and half of Pinot Meunier.
The vineyards are certified for Viticulture Durable and Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE). Since 2020 no herbicides have been used and an ambitious agroforestry project has been started with Reforest’Action.
Approach and Champagnes Ruinart stands out for a high proportion of Chardonnay in all its blends, resulting in fine, elegant champagnes. The entry-level bottles age for at least three years in the cellars, while prestige cuvées age for up to 10 years.
- R de Ruinart Brut: An accessible blend with 45-50% Chardonnay.
- Ruinart Blanc de Blancs: Exclusively Chardonnay, the house's calling card.
- Dom Ruinart: The prestige cuvée, an extremely fine Blanc de Blancs that ages for a long time.
- Rosé Champagne: Ruinart produces both standard and vintage rosé, in which Chardonnay dominates but Pinot Noir provides colour and structure.
Cuvées by Ruinart
Importers
Ruinart is imported by: Best of Wines, Boonstra Wijnen, Bovino, Colaris, De Larense Wijnkoperij, Gall & Gall, HANOS, LVMH NL, Pasteuning Wines & Spirits BV, Perfecte Wijn B.V., Petit Clos, Thiessen Wijnkoopers.
Where it is sold
Shops and wholesalers carrying Ruinart: Best of Wines, Boonstra Wijnen, Bovino, Christian Winecellars, Colaris, De Larense Wijnkoperij, Gall & Gall, HANOS, Pasteuning Wines & Spirits BV, Perfecte Wijn B.V., Petit Clos, Qualivin, Slijterij & Wijnhandel Madison, Thiessen Wijnkoopers, Ton Overmars, Vinify, Wijnhandel en Slijterij Brouwer, Wijnhandel Peeters, Wijnhuis Eindhoven, Wijnpand Cronjé.
All producers in the interactive guide · All Champagne houses