Ruinart, recognized as the first established Champagne house, was founded in 1729.
The house was created by Nicolas Ruinart, a Reims cloth merchant, after his uncle Dom Thierry Ruinart encouraged him to pursue the growing market for sparkling wine. The family’s commercial decision followed a 1728 royal decree that made it easier for Champagne wines to be transported in bottles, an important change for sparkling-wine producers.
Ruinart initially sold Champagne alongside its textile business, but the wine trade eventually became the family’s main activity. Its early cellars were excavated in the chalk beneath Reims, where the naturally cool, stable environment suited bottle ageing.
Ruinart is especially associated with Chardonnay, although its wines also use Pinot Noir and Meunier. “Oldest Champagne house” generally means the oldest house founded specifically as a Champagne house, rather than the oldest vineyard, abbey, or wine-producing family.