Ruinart, the Oldest Champagne House: Experiencing the Exceptional in Complete Confidentiality with AC PRIVATE

To drink a great champagne is to taste three centuries of history. But to truly experience Champagne — to walk through UNESCO-listed chalk cellars, to taste a prestige cuvée where it rests, to meet the people who craft it — is a far rarer art. This is the art AC PRIVATE — A List concierge cultivates: opening the doors of the greatest houses, including Ruinart, for experiences designed to measure and lived in complete discretion.

1729: the world's first established Champagne house

Ruinart was born on 1 September 1729 in Reims, founded by Nicolas Ruinart. The merchant drew inspiration from the vision of his uncle, Dom Thierry Ruinart (1657-1709), a scholarly Benedictine monk and contemporary of Dom Pérignon, who foresaw the future of this "wine with bubbles". First offered as a gift to the clients of the family textile business, champagne soon became the house's sole passion: from 1735, Nicolas devoted himself to it entirely, aided by the 1728 royal decree that finally authorised shipping wine in bottles.

Thus was born the oldest established Champagne house — a precedence that is far from anecdotal: it makes Ruinart the very origin of an art de vivre the whole world admires.

The chalk cellars of Reims, a UNESCO-listed masterpiece

Beneath the city of Reims lie the crayères: ancient chalk quarries dug as far back as Gallo-Roman times. Ruinart was the first house to age its wines there, from 1768. Plunging thirty metres underground and threaded with nearly eight kilometres of galleries, they hold a constant temperature of 10 to 12°C and perfect darkness — ideal conditions for maturing champagne.

Listed as a historic monument in 1931, the chalk cellars of the Saint-Nicaise hill have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2015, as part of the "Coteaux, Maisons et Caves de Champagne". Descending into that mineral silence, at the historic address of 4 rue des Crayères, is among the most striking emotions Champagne can offer.

The taste of Ruinart: chardonnay as a signature

If Ruinart had to be summed up in a single grape, it would be chardonnay. This loyalty, asserted from 1947 under cellar master Bertrand Mure, gives rise to what enthusiasts call "the taste of Ruinart": a luminous, fresh and refined signature.

It is embodied in Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, the emblem of the house; in Dom Ruinart, a vintage prestige cuvée made entirely from Grand Cru chardonnay; and in Ruinart Blanc Singulier, a contemporary expression of the grape. Ruinart was also a rosé pioneer: as early as 1764 it was shipping across Europe one of the very first rosé champagnes in history.

Ruinart and art: from Mucha to Sou Fujimoto

Ruinart has always been in dialogue with creativity. In 1896, the house entrusted Alphonse Mucha with one of the very first champagne art posters — an Art Nouveau masterpiece. That heritage lives on today through the annual Carte Blanche programme, which invites international artists, and a notable presence at Art Basel.

In October 2024, Ruinart reopened its historic Reims site after two years of renovation, unveiling a new visitor pavilion by architect Sou Fujimoto — its rounded shapes evoking bubbles — and an "Artists' Garden" landscaped by Christophe Gautrand. That same year, the Carte Blanche Conversations with the Living brought together six artists around ecological themes. All the more reason to discover the house not as a mere producer, but as a cultural destination in its own right.

AC PRIVATE, your concierge for confidential Champagne experiences

The finest experiences appear in no brochure. This is where AC PRIVATE — A List concierge comes in: an independent concierge dedicated to a discerning clientele, we design and orchestrate private stays and events at the heart of Champagne — at Ruinart as with the other great houses.

Private tastings in the chalk cellars, encounters with cellar masters, food-and-champagne pairings signed by great tables, helicopter arrivals, château stays, celebrations and exceptional dinners: every experience is composed to measure, with a single point of contact and absolute confidentiality, under a non-disclosure agreement from the very first exchange. We are glad to complete these moments with our own exceptional cuvées, such as the Comte de Mazeray 24-carat gold champagne or Hollywood 100 The Legacy.

Frequently asked questions about Ruinart and Champagne experiences

Why is Ruinart the oldest Champagne house ?

Ruinart was founded on 1 September 1729 in Reims by Nicolas Ruinart, making it the world's first established Champagne house. Its story is rooted in the vision of Dom Thierry Ruinart, a Benedictine monk and contemporary of Dom Pérignon.

Can you visit Ruinart's chalk cellars in Reims ?

Yes, the house offers tours and tastings in its UNESCO-listed chalk cellars. For a private, confidential and fully personalised experience, AC PRIVATE arranges access as well as all the logistics.

What is the taste of Ruinart ?

The "taste of Ruinart" refers to the house style, built on the predominance of chardonnay: luminous, fresh and refined champagnes, exemplified by the Blanc de Blancs and the prestige cuvée Dom Ruinart.

How can I enjoy a private, confidential Champagne experience ?

By entrusting your project to AC PRIVATE — A List concierge. We compose bespoke private tastings, encounters, stays and events at the great Champagne houses, with a single point of contact and the strictest confidentiality.

Does AC PRIVATE arrange experiences at other Champagne houses ?

Yes. AC PRIVATE is an independent concierge: we design experiences at Ruinart as well as at the other great Champagne houses and estates, according to your tastes and wishes.

To compose your private, confidential Champagne experience, leave us your details below or write to us at [email protected]. A member of AC PRIVATE's management will contact you personally, within 48 hours, in complete discretion.