Champagne Ruinart Winery
"The oldest house in Champagne."
Nicolas Ruinart
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Founded in 1729, this champagne house is one of the great classics. It produces six champagnes, all of which are clearly characterised by Chardonnay.
One year after Louis XV revoked the edict that champagne could only be sold and transported in barrels, cloth merchant Nicolas Ruinart founded his Maison de Champagne. Six years later, he gave up the cloth trade because the sparkling wine business was doing so well. The oldest house in Champagne remained in the family for over 200 years until it was sold to Moët & Chandon in 1963. Within the LVMH Group, the individual champagne houses, including Dom Pérignon and Krug, remain completely independent and committed to their own style.
At Ruinard, the style is defined by the fact that all champagnes, including the rosé champagnes, are strongly characterised by Chardonnay. Chef de Cave Frédéric Panaïotis takes great care to ensure that the grapes not only come from the chalky Côte des Blancs, but also from the company's own vineyards on the Montage de Reims in Sillery. All base wines are matured in stainless steel tanks and undergo malolactic fermentation.
The „Blanc de Blancs Brut“ is a pure Chardonnay. The „Ruinart Brut“ consists of 60 % Pinot Noir, 40 % Chardonnay and 25 % reserve wines. The „Ruinart Rosé Brut“ contains around 20% red wine and a total of 55% Pinot Noir. The prestige champagnes „Dom Ruinart“ and „Dom Ruinart Rosé“ are again dominated by Chardonnay. The „Dom Ruinart Brut Millésimé“ is 100% Chardonnay, while the „Dom Ruinart Brut Millésimé“ Rosé is around 77% Chardonnay. These are elegant, classically harmonious and timeless champagnes.
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