Ruinart has been making Champagne since 1729, making it the oldest Champagne House operating today. Located in Reims, Ruinart Champagne may well be the world’s very best. Let’s take a closer look into everything Ruinart and discover what makes it so special.
Champagne Ruinart: Where did it all begin?
The house of Ruinart today sits in the exclusive Champagne portfolio of LVMH, alongside Moët & Chandon, Krug, and Veuve Clicquot. Its beginnings were somewhat more humble, dating all the way back to 1729. Champagne Ruinart was established by entrepreneur Nicolas Ruinart, whose initial goal was to produce sparkling wine to present as a gift to clients of another family business, selling cloth. Before too long, the quality of Ruinart Champagne became rightly celebrated, and Champagne became the primary focus. In the intervening centuries, the house of Ruinart has remained in the best of hands, and neither its quality nor its reputation has slipped.
What makes Champagne Ruinart so special?
There are a lot of famous Champagne labels, so why is Ruinart so special? Well, where do we start?
- Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house operating today, having consistently made sparkling wine since 1729. The French like to talk about savoir-faire, the know-how winemakers acquire over time – Ruinart has it in spades!
- Ruinart specialises in Chardonnay. Champagne producers can blend Chardonnay, as well as the red grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Ruinart uses the red grapes, though has developed a reputation as a Chardonnay specialist. Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, from 100% Chardonnay, is a classic of the style.
- They really put the “art” in “Ruinart”. The house of Ruinart has a long-standing relationship with the art world, going back as early as 1895 when a Czech artist was commissioned to illustrate a Ruinart poster. This relationship continues to this day, and Ruinart routinely participates in and contributes to art events throughout the world.
3 Ruinart Champagnes to try
The nice thing about buying Ruinart Champagne is the price. Granted, it’s not cheap, but as far as Champagne goes, it’s affordable. This is particularly impressive when you consider the stellar reputation that Ruinart enjoys. We’ve picked out three of our favourite Ruinart Champagne wines to try, and we are certain that you’ll find an excellent quality/price ratio here!
- Ruinart R de Ruinart is one of the best non-vintage Champagnes that money can buy. It displays all the class and elegance of the house, and is very keenly priced. Visually you’ve got a lot of fine bubbles and a golden yellow hue. The nose is deep and lively, with fresh citrus fruit and yeast aromas, and the palate has refreshing acidity and a generous mouthfeel. This makes a fantastic aperitif, though will also match very well with a plate of oysters.
- Ruinart Rosé is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and has a very attractive golden pink colour. Its nose is subtle, but comes around with fresh red fruit aromas of raspberry and strawberry. Round and smooth on the palate, this is a very fine rosé indeed. This is a refreshing alternative to Port when paired with a mature cheese plate.
- Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is one of the best known Blanc de Blancs Champagnes, and is something of a signature for Ruinart. Its unique clear bottle shows off its brilliant colour, and the aromas are of citrus and yeast. Clean and refreshing on the palate, this is beautiful by itself and a fine accompaniment for a sharing platter of fruits de la mer.
Which is your favourite Ruinart Champagne? Tell us in the comments below!
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