Ruinart

Dom Thierry Ruinart (1657-1709) was a Benedictine monk and a contemporary of Louis XIV. At the age of 23 he left his home in Champagne for the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés near Paris, where, in Ruinart's own history, he learned of a new “wine with bubbles” that was already popular among young aristocrats. His nephew Nicolas Ruinart drafted the founding charter of Maison Ruinart in Reims on 1 September 1729, and the house calls itself the first established House of Champagne. In 1764 the house shipped rosé champagne across Europe. In 1817 the family was ennobled and took the name Ruinart de Brimont. In 1896 the Maison commissioned the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha to design its first advertisement. Ruinart is today part of Moët Hennessy, the Wines & Spirits division of LVMH, and the house will celebrate its 300th anniversary in 2029.

• Dom Thierry Ruinart (1657-1709): Benedictine monk, uncle of the founder
• 1 September 1729: Nicolas Ruinart drafts the founding charter of Maison Ruinart in Reims
• 1764: rosé champagne shipped across Europe
• 1817: the family is ennobled and takes the name Ruinart de Brimont
• 1896: Alphonse Mucha designs the Maison's first advertisement
• Today: part of Moët Hennessy, the Wines & Spirits division of LVMH

Caroline Fiot is cellar master and leads Maison Ruinart's winemaking team. She officially took up the role on 1 January 2026, succeeding Frédéric Panaïotis (d. 2025), cellar master from 2007 to 2025. An agricultural engineer and oenologist educated at Institut Agro in Montpellier and ESSEC Business School, she began her career in the vineyards of Saint-Émilion and joined Ruinart's winemaking team in 2016; she has also worked at Chandon in Argentina and Moët & Chandon in Épernay. At Ruinart she has been a member of the tasting committee, has overseen fermentation during harvest, and contributed to the second skin case and to the first editions of Ruinart Blanc Singulier. The team also includes oenologist Florence Boubée Legrand, who joined in 2021, Victor Gandon, who monitors and develops agroforestry in the vineyard, and Diane de Chevron Villette, who oversees the Maison's agroforestry project. Frédéric Dufour is President and CEO of the House of Ruinart. Earlier, Maurice Hazart held the cellar master position at Ruinart from 1911 and was formally appointed in 1926, and in 1947, under Bertrand Mure's leadership, the Maison set out to craft a champagne of freshness and elegance, the beginning of Chardonnay's prominence as its signature grape.

• Caroline Fiot: Ruinart cellar master since 1 January 2026; joined the winemaking team in 2016
• Frédéric Panaïotis (d. 2025): cellar master from 2007 to 2025
• Florence Boubée Legrand: oenologist, joined the Ruinart winemaking team in 2021
• Victor Gandon and Diane de Chevron Villette: Ruinart winemaking team, agroforestry work
• Frédéric Dufour: President and CEO of the House of Ruinart
• Maurice Hazart: Ruinart cellar master from 1911, formally appointed in 1926

Ruinart's cellars are crayères, ancient chalk quarries beneath Reims. The house's own history dates its acquisition of crayères under the city to the mid-18th century, while its cellars page dates its installation at the present site, in the heart of the Butte Saint-Nicaise, to 1877; there the house built 8 kilometres of galleries on three levels, reaching depths of more than 38 metres. Production and offices moved to the site during the First World War. The cellars are also classified as a historic site. Saint-Nicaise Hill in Reims is one of the three ensembles of the UNESCO World Heritage property Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars, inscribed in 2015. In the crayères, at a constant 10 to 12 degrees, Ruinart carries out entreillage, prise de mousse and remuage; non-vintage cuvées can be kept there for up to 3 years, vintage cuvées for 5 years and Dom Ruinart for around 10 years.

• Crayères beneath Reims: 8 km of galleries on three levels, more than 38 metres deep
• Cellars set up at the Butte Saint-Nicaise site in 1877
• Also classified as a historic site
• Saint-Nicaise Hill: part of the UNESCO World Heritage property Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars, inscribed 2015
• Constant 10 to 12 degrees; entreillage, prise de mousse and remuage take place here

Ruinart's cuvées are blended from three grape varieties: Chardonnay, the Maison's emblem, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The grapes come mainly from the Côte des Blancs and from the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims. The vineyards of Sillery and Taissy hold a special place in the history of the house. Taissy, which Ruinart lists as a Premier Cru, is mentioned in the archives as early as 1733; this 40-hectare parcel is planted mainly with Chardonnay vines aged between 6 and 18 years, and the Maison runs a vitiforestry biodiversity project there with Reforest'Action. Since 2014 these historic vineyards have been certified High Environmental Value and Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne. Ruinart dates its commitment to sustainable viticulture to the early 2000s, and by the house's own figures it has cut its use of fertilizers and phytosanitary products by 50% and halved its use of fungicides over the past 15 years. Its vineyards and facilities have been certified ISO 14001 since 2007.

• Three varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
• Grapes mainly from the Côte des Blancs and the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims
• Taissy: 40-hectare parcel planted mainly with Chardonnay, vitiforestry project with Reforest'Action
• Sillery and Taissy certified High Environmental Value and Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne since 2014
• ISO 14001 certification for Ruinart's vineyards and facilities since 2007

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is made exclusively from Chardonnay: some 25 to 30 crus, predominantly from the Côte des Blancs, the Montagne de Reims, the Sézannais and the Vallée de la Vesle, with 20 to 30% reserve wine. It is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, goes through malolactic fermentation, is aged 2 to 3 years in the cellars and carries a 7 g/L dosage. Ruinart Brut, also listed as R de Ruinart, blends Pinot Noir (40 to 45%), Meunier (10 to 15%) and Chardonnay (40%) from 40 to 50 crus in the Côte des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims, with 20 to 30% reserve wine and a 7 g/L dosage. Ruinart Rosé pairs Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims Chardonnay (45%) with Montagne de Reims and Vallée de la Marne Pinot Noir, 43% vinified as white and 12% as red, and carries an 8 g/L dosage. Dom Ruinart vintages have showcased Chardonnay since 1959. Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2013 is made exclusively from Grands and Premiers Crus Chardonnay, 70% from the Côte des Blancs (Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize, Chouilly and Bergères-lès-Vertus) and 30% from the Montagne de Reims, including Sillery, Taissy and Villers-Marmery. It spent at least 9 years on lees, was the second Dom Ruinart vintage bottled under cork after 2010, was disgorged by hand and carries a 5.5 g/L dosage. Dom Ruinart Rosé 2009 is 85% Grand Cru Chardonnay, predominantly from the Côte des Blancs and Sillery, with 15% Aÿ Grand Cru Pinot Noir vinified as red, at least 11 years on lees and a 4 g/L dosage. Ruinart Blanc Singulier was the house's first new cuvée in more than 20 years. It blends base wines from a specific year with a perpetual reserve crafted only for this cuvée, and each edition is either lightly dosed or not dosed at all. Edition 19 blends 77% wine from the 2019 harvest with 23% reserve wines from 2018, 2017 and 2016, drawn from around twenty crus. The collection lists Editions 17, 18 and 19, and Edition 20, from the 2020 harvest, was unveiled in 2026. In 2023, 18 bottles of Ruinart's 1926 vintage found in the cellars of Paul Bocuse's restaurant were added to the house's collections, and they are now the oldest bottles in Ruinart's possession.

• Ruinart Blanc de Blancs: 100% Chardonnay from 25 to 30 crus, 7 g/L
• Ruinart Brut: Pinot Noir 40 to 45%, Chardonnay 40%, Meunier 10 to 15%, 7 g/L
• Ruinart Rosé: Chardonnay 45%, Pinot Noir 43% vinified as white and 12% as red, 8 g/L
• Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2013: Grands and Premiers Crus Chardonnay, at least 9 years on lees, 5.5 g/L
• Dom Ruinart Rosé 2009: 85% Grand Cru Chardonnay, 15% Aÿ Grand Cru Pinot Noir, 4 g/L
• Ruinart Blanc Singulier: base wines from one year plus a perpetual reserve; Edition 20 from the 2020 harvest

Ruinart's winemaking team works, in the house's words, toward “the balance, freshness and elegance that define the Ruinart style.” The house extracts the must through a gentle and progressive pressing, starts alcoholic fermentation at low temperatures in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats, and follows it with malolactic fermentation. Riddling is carried out in gyropalettes, and the most prestigious cuvées are riddled by hand. Dom Ruinart bottles are stacked on wooden lattes in the traditional entreillage. Since March 2017 the Reims production site has used a new disgorging line, and exceptional cuvées are disgorged by hand or individually. Caroline Fiot, on following Frédéric Panaïotis: “I share his passion for a slow, long-term approach to making Champagne.”

• Gentle, progressive pressing and low-temperature fermentation in stainless steel
• Malolactic fermentation
• Dom Ruinart stacked on wooden lattes (entreillage)
• Most prestigious cuvées riddled by hand

Ruinart's bottle shape is a tribute to the historic bottles of the eighteenth century; the house links it to Jean-François de Troy's painting “Luncheon with Oysters”, completed six years after the Maison's founding, whose bottles have the same shape. In 2020 the Maison committed to replacing all single boxes with its second skin case, a recyclable case moulded to the shape of the bottle that the house puts at nine times lighter than its predecessor and that shields the champagne from light. Since 2008 Ruinart has established 12 Carte Blanche projects with contemporary artists, and in 2018 it created the Prix Maison Ruinart photography prize with the support of the Picto Foundation. Until its 300th anniversary in 2029, the Maison is commissioning 10 artworks in the Champagne region.

• Bottle shape: a tribute to eighteenth-century bottles
• Second skin case: committed to in 2020, recyclable, moulded to the bottle
• Carte Blanche artist projects since 2008; Prix Maison Ruinart since 2018
• 300th anniversary in 2029, with 10 artworks commissioned until then

Maison Ruinart is at 4 rue des Crayères in Reims. The cellar visit is a 2-hour guided tour for 12 places, followed by a tasting of two cuvées, offered in French and English.

• Address: 4 rue des Crayères, Reims
• Cellar visit: 2 hours, 12 places, guided tour and tasting of two cuvées

Primary sources (producer's own site): https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/notrehistoire.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/noscaves.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/equipeoenologique.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/signaturechardonnay.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/notrevignoble.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/cpruinartblancdeblancs.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/cprderuinart.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/cpruinartrose.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/cpdomruinartblancdeblancs2013.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/cpdomruinartrose2009.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/collectionruinartblancsingulier.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/viticulturedurable.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/ruinartetart.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/millesime1926.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/visitedescrayeresreims.html, https://www.ruinart.com/en-us/lesgestes.html. Owner group site: https://www.lvmh.com/en/our-maisons/wines-spirits/ruinart. Official body: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1465/. Secondary sources: The Drinks Business (Sarah Neish, 2 October 2025), https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/10/maison-ruinart-appoints-new-cellar-master/; The Drinks Business (Arabella Mileham, 10 July 2024), https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2024/07/ruinart-releases-first-new-cuvee-in-20-years/. Last verified 2026-10-21. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.