Founded by Nicolas Ruinart in Reims in 1729, Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house. Its Gallo-Roman chalk cellars are a UNESCO world heritage site and every two years the finest sommeliers in Europe gather here to compete for the Trophée Ruinart. With a production of 1.7 million bottles per annum, Ruinart is considered a small house by Champagne standards.

“The House of Ruinart was founded in 1729, well into the XVIIIth Century, at a time when a new 'art of living' was emerging in France. Sustaining, developing and exporting this art is a mission that comes naturally to the oldest champagne House.” - Ruinart

The house has kept its distinguished rounded bottle shapes for centuries as well as retaining the values of quality, authenticity and elegance. The estate is now part of the LVMH group that also owns Moët & Chandon.

In 1668, Dom Pérignon is said to have discovered how to make sparkling wine; today his technique is used the world over, although Champagne continues to make some of the finest. France’s most northerly wine region, Champagne is now home to 15,000 growers and 290 ‘houses’. A blend of grape varieties is usually required: white Chardonnay to add fruit and elegance, and two reds – Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – to provide body and backbone.

Champagne is a region in northeastern France, approximately 140 kilometers northeast of Paris, defined by strict geographic boundaries established under French appellation law. The region's cool continental climate and chalky soils create conditions uniquely suited to sparkling wine production. The designation "Champagne" is legally protected and applies only to wines produced within these delimited boundaries using prescribed methods.

The region's chalky subsoil—composed largely of Cretaceous limestone—drains rapidly and reflects heat, helping to ripen grapes despite the cool climate. Three grape varieties dominate: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, often blended together though Blanc de Blancs wines use Chardonnay exclusively. Champagne's signature method involves a secondary fermentation in bottle (méthode champenoise), where yeast and sugar create carbonation and develop complex flavors over time. Extended aging on the lees further develops texture and aromas. Producers classify vineyards into Premier and Grand Cru designations based on historical quality assessments, and finished wines are labeled by dosage level—ranging from Extra Brut (bone dry) through Brut, Sec, and Demi Sec (progressively sweeter).

Champagne wines are characterized by high acidity, fine bubbles, and layered complexity. Typical flavor profiles include green apple, citrus, and chalk minerality in younger or lighter expressions, evolving toward brioche, toast, and honey notes with bottle age. The interaction between the wine's acidity, the persistent effervescence, and the autolytic characters from yeast aging creates distinctive textural finesse that distinguishes Champagne from other sparkling wines produced elsewhere.