Maison Ruinart
The oldest Champagne house in the region, Ruinart has exclusively produced Champagne since its establishment in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart. By 1769, they were the first maison to ship bottles in wooden cases, which otherwise was an impossible feat – as Champagne cannot be shipped in barrels as still wines could. Among the big wineries in Reims, Ruinart has maintained to keep quite a low profile in recent years, despite being owned by the luxury goods corporation, LVMH. With a relatively great production, the quality remains excellent, producing prestigious cuvées, like Blanc de Blancs Dom Ruinart and Dom Ruinart Vintage Rosé. The vintage cuvées are particularly refined and powerful due to some extended ageing of the base wines, however, the Brut R de Ruinart NV is one of the best of its kind.