Maison Ruinart: The First Champagne House
Founded in Reims in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart, Maison Ruinart is recognised as the first established Champagne House. Its origins were inspired by Nicolas's uncle, Dom Thierry Ruinart, a Benedictine monk who recognised the growing potential of the sparkling wines emerging from Champagne.
The House has remained closely connected to Reims for almost three centuries. Beneath the city lie Ruinart's historic crayères, ancient chalk quarries acquired by the House during the 18th century and used for the maturation of its Champagne. Their naturally stable temperature, humidity and darkness provide ideal conditions for ageing, while the crayères themselves form part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars.
Chardonnay at the Heart of Ruinart
Chardonnay is central to the identity and style of Ruinart. Sourced principally from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, it provides the freshness, aromatic precision and elegance that run throughout the House's cuvées.
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs places Chardonnay at the forefront, producing a bright and expressive Champagne with citrus, floral and fresh fruit characteristics. In Ruinart Rosé, Chardonnay is combined with Pinot Noir, bringing together the House's characteristic freshness with greater fruit, structure and depth. R de Ruinart draws on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier for a balanced expression of the wider Ruinart style.
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Ruinart Rosé
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Ruinart Rosé are two of the House's most recognisable Champagnes. Blanc de Blancs is made entirely from Chardonnay and offers a particularly clear expression of the grape variety that defines Maison Ruinart.
Ruinart Rosé combines Chardonnay with Pinot Noir, including Pinot Noir vinified as red wine. The resulting Champagne balances the freshness and finesse associated with Chardonnay with the fruit and structure of Pinot Noir.
The Kent Street Cellars collection includes both cuvées across several formats and presentations, including half bottles, standard bottles, magnums, multiple-bottle packs and selected Second Skin editions.
Dom Ruinart and the Prestige Cuvées
Dom Ruinart represents the prestige expression of Maison Ruinart and is produced as a vintage Champagne from selected Chardonnay, with Dom Ruinart Rosé incorporating a proportion of Pinot Noir.
These wines receive extended ageing before release and offer a more complex interpretation of Ruinart's Chardonnay-led style. Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is centred entirely on Chardonnay, while Dom Ruinart Rosé combines Chardonnay with red-vinified Pinot Noir.
The Kent Street Cellars range includes Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs across selected vintages as well as Dom Ruinart Rosé 2009. The 2009 Rosé is composed predominantly of Grand Cru Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, complemented by Grand Cru Pinot Noir from Aÿ, with at least 11 years of ageing on lees.
The Ruinart Crayères and Second Skin
Ruinart's relationship with chalk extends from the soils of Champagne to its historic crayères beneath Reims. These underground chalk quarries provide naturally stable conditions for the slow maturation of Champagne and remain an important part of the House's identity.
That connection to chalk also informs Ruinart's approach to presentation. Introduced in 2020, the Second Skin case is a moulded, recyclable paper alternative to the traditional individual gift box. Its shape follows the contours of Ruinart's distinctive bottle while substantially reducing the packaging's environmental impact.
