Champagne Ruinart

Champagne Ruinart is based in Reims in the Champagne region in France. On 1 September 1729 in Reims, Nicolas Ruinart recorded the deed of foundation of the Maison. As the nephew of the Benedictine monk Dom Thierry Ruinart, he carried forward the latter’s thoughts about sparkling wine. In 1736, the Maison ended its textile activities and thereafter focused exclusively on the production of champagne.

The grapes come mainly from the Côte des Blancs and the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims. Ruinart describes the most important vineyard areas as sites with chalky soils that regulate the water balance of the vines. For its cuvées, the Maison uses Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier; Chardonnay is included in all cuvées and is regarded as the characteristic grape variety of the house.

Ruinart describes its own style with the characteristics of balance, freshness and elegance. The R de Ruinart consists of around 40 to 45 per cent Pinot Noir, 10 to 15 per cent Meunier and 40 per cent Chardonnay from 40 to 50 Crus of the Côte des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims. The Blanc de Blancs is produced exclusively from Chardonnay and, according to the Maison, combines freshness with roundness. The bottles are stored in underground chalk cellars beneath Reims, which are in part more than 30 metres deep and over eight kilometres long.

The Taissy estate comprises 40 hectares of Premier Cru and is planted predominantly with Chardonnay. Sillery is a Chardonnay Grand Cru near Reims, while Taissy has been associated with the Maison since 1733. The historic vineyards have carried the High Environmental Value and Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne certifications since 2014. Ruinart picks the grapes by hand and, in Taissy, works on a viticulture and biodiversity project with ecological corridors and newly planted hedges. According to the Maison, higher temperatures, shortened growing cycles and accelerated ripening lead to adjustments in the vineyard and in the cellar.