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Ruinart Champagne House Guide

Cellar Tours Insight — Since 2003, Cellar Tours has planned private wine journeys through the world’s leading wine regions, pairing tailor-made itineraries with VIP winery visits, fine dining, and expert regional guidance.

Winery Overview

Ruinart has kept a relatively low profile among the great Champagne houses, quietly getting on with producing elegant, Chardonnay-driven Champagnes. Yet it has a remarkable legacy in the Champagne region, as it can claim to be one of the oldest established houses, having produced Champagne since 1729. That year, Nicolas Ruinart realized the dreams of his uncle, Dom Thierry Ruinart, and founded a small house in Reims. Dom Thierry Ruinart was a close friend of Dom Pérignon, the Benedictine monk closely associated with early Champagne winemaking, and his guidance ensured the house had the best start possible. Of course, we also have the French King Louis XV to thank for the Champagne we enjoy today, for his royal decree in 1728, which allowed Champagne to be transported in a bottle; before this, the wine had to be transported in barrels, which invariably meant long-distance customers would enjoy still wine rather than sparkling Champagne.

Ruinart made its first delivery of sparkling Champagne in 1730. At first, the wines were a gift to cloth purchasers associated with Dom Ruinart’s brother; 6 years later, the success of Champagne sales meant the family could focus solely on wine production. The house went from strength to strength and remained in family control throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Nicolas passed stewardship to his son Claude and his grandson Irénée. He did much to build Ruinart’s success, creating a loyal following among the courts of Europe. The family kept control through the first half of the 20th century, enduring two World Wars that greatly strained the business. Shells hit the company offices during the First World War. During the First World War, shells struck the company offices. Still, André Ruinart continued to run the business from the cellars, famously using a makeshift floating office when parts of the underground galleries flooded. Later financial pressures led to seeking outside help from the Rothschild family of Chateau Lafite fame, and in 1963, complete control finally passed to Moët & Chandon.

Although Ruinart is now part of the LVMH empire, the present owners have preserved Ruinart’s distinctive house style. Chardonnay has always been an important part of the blending equation here, and the wines are refined and powerful. Ruinart’s vintage cuvées are highly regarded for their Chardonnay-led precision and finesse, and the rosé is particularly appealing, combining generous red-fruit character with Ruinart’s trademark freshness. An exceptional introduction to the history and legacy of Champagne indeed.

Ruinart is one of the most rewarding Champagne-house visits in Reims for our clients interested in historic chalk cellars, Chardonnay-led Champagne, and the meeting point between wine, architecture, and contemporary art. Visits may include the Maison’s UNESCO-listed crayères, tastings, the gardens, and the new visitor pavilion, with guided cellar experiences confirmed by reservation. Cellar Tours includes Ruinart as part of a private Champagne itinerary alongside other leading houses in Reims and Épernay, as well as smaller grower estates.

Private Champagne Wine Tour

Champagne vineyards and wine country

Plan a private Champagne wine tour with visits to historic houses, chalk cellars, grower estates, fine dining and expert itinerary design around Reims and Épernay.

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Author

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James Lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has written for a wide variety of publications, including The Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers Wine & Spirit, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

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