History
1716: Claude Moët starts as a wine merchant in Champagne, one year after his neighbour Dom Pérignon has died.
1743: The house of Moët is founded. It ships only 19,000 bottles that year, yet already exports to the UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Holland, Germany and Switzerland.
1760: Claude-Louis Nicolas Moët becomes supplier to the Imperial Court of Russia and to the marquise de Pompadour.
1789-1832: Jean-Remy Moët established Moët as the world’s first international luxury brand by successfully uniting all the elements of the Champagne method under one name.
He hosted several Emperors and Kings in Epernay, thus making his Champagne become the choice of the European elite. He was in particular a very close friend to Napoleon 1st, who visited the house five times, hence the reason why the house’s Brut is called “Brut Imperial”.
Napoleon’s last visit in 1814 was followed by those of the Csar of Russia, the Emperor of Austria, the King of Prussia, the Prince of Metternich and General Wellington. Still now, the House is the official supplier to the Royal Courts of Great-Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, and the Vatican.
In 1832, Jean-Remy’s son, Victor, and his son-in-law, Pierre-Gabriel Chandon, start running the company, which from now on will be named Moët & Chandon.
Moët & Chandon has been present at almost every significant event since, be it political, sporting, or entertainment. In fact, Moët & Chandon is now the official champagne of fashion week in Milan, Paris and London, and of the United States Golden Globes.
Today, Moët is still clearly the #1 Champagne house, and a bottle is sold every second of every hour somewhere in the world.
Grapegrowing
Moët & Chandon owns the largest and the most beautiful vineyard in Champagne: Its 1,050 hectares represent a third of the total owned by “maisons”. More than half of its estate is located in the “Grands Crus”, 25% of the balance being located in “Premiers Crus”. The estate vineyards are located in 13 of the 17 Grand Crus and 28 of the 41 Premiers Crus
Thanks to its size, Moët & Chandon is also the largest grape buyer in Champagne, and has thus access to 250 of the 323 wine-villages ("crus") of the Champagne region.
 Winemaking
Moët & Chandon has a very natural approach to winemaking that fully respects the integrity of the fruit: Stainless steel is used in place of wooden casks to keep the grape aromas intact. Natural solutions are always preferred, and additives are kept to a strict minimum. At Moët & Chandon, “we never force nature, we simply guide it.”
Also, Moët & Chandon is the only Champagne house to use its own strains of yeasts, thus perfectly controlling every step of the fermentation process.
A team of 15 winemakers with international experience control all the process and assist the Chef de Cave in designing blends that express the constant style of Moët wines, with their BRIGHT FRUITINESS, SEDUCTIVE PALATE, AND CONFIDENT MATURITY.
The blends are aged for a minimum of 30 months, well above the legal minimum, in Moët & Chandon cellars, which are the most extensive in the world (18 miles in length).
The secret of Moët & Chandon Champagnes is that they are easy to drink, but have such a complete expression that each sip brings a different pleasure, allowing them to be enjoyed at any time of day (and night). At Moët, there is a wine to pair with nearly any type of food and to bring sparkle to any occasion in life.
Moët & Chandon is the leading House of Champagne
Moet & Chandon is the #1 Champagne in the US and the World: White Star is the #1 champagne in the US, Nectar Imperial is the #3 champagne in the US., and Brut Imperial is the #1 champagne in the World.
Moët & Chandon is the leading winegrower in Champagne
Moët & Chandon is the largest vineyard owner in Champagne: Its 1,050 hectares represent a third of the total owned by “maisons.”, and more than half of its estates are located in the “Grands Crus.”
Moët & Chandon is the largest buyer of grapes in the Champagne region
Thanks to its size, Moët & Chandon is the largest grape buyer in Champagne, and has thus access to 250 of the 323 wine-villages ("crus") of the Champagne region. This allows the house to express all the diversity of the “terroir” through its extensive range.
The Moët style is uniquely suited to today’s consumer
Moët is distinguished by a bright fruitiness, a seductive palate, and a confident maturity.
The new White Star is the ultimate refinement of a well-loved classic
The new white star makes use of more selective sourcing, a more Pinot-driven blend, and the use of more reserve wine in the assemblage.
History
In the 17th century, the golden rays of Louis XIV “the Sun King”, illuminated the French court, while in the quiet time reserved for prayer and reflection at Hautvillers Abbey, Dom Pérignon, the monastery’s cellarer, developed a wine whose extraordinary quality would make him the spiritual father of Champagne and one of the great visionaries of the winemaking world.
Today, Dom Pérignon’s spirit and legacy live on in the silence and stones of Hautvillers Abbey, inspiring generations of winemakers who succeed him.
Dom Pérignon’s genius was not a lightning stroke of brilliance, but rather the radiating, generous illumination of the spirit. Dom Pierre Pérignon is revered as the spiritual father of winemaking in the Champagne region. Keen observation, respect for nature, pragmatic creativity, technical innovation, perfection in every detail, the courage of his convictions, and patience were the instruments serving his vision.
Dom Pérignon had two ambitions for his wine. One was to increase the abbeys’ income for which wine, through the levying of tithes, was the main source. But more importantly, Dom Pérignon longed to produce the “best wine in the world” and wanted it to be desired as such by Louis XIV, his exact contemporary. It is documented in court orders that the Sun King had a penchant for the “straw-colored wine of Father Pérignon”.
It was genuine vision that gave birth to the wine of Hautvillers Abbey. A vision calling for excellence and mastery. It implied the ability to improve on nature when it is imperfect and inconsistent. Dom Pérignon was dedicated to perfecting sparkling wine. He constantly mastered and incorporated all its components and the stages of its production, from the vineyards themselves to the pressing, clarification, and preservation of the wines. This same quest for perfection inspires and guides the Chef de Cave today.
Innovation
It is often the case that talent, when pitted against the severest limitations, achieves its full measure.
Dom Pierre Pérignon was one of the very first producers to blend grapes from multiple vineyards, known as “assemblage”. Assemblage is a key part of champagne production and it originated to resolve the need to alleviate the defects and inconsistencies of nature.
Dom Pierre Pérignon began by establishing the main parcels around the abbey and then extending the domain. The abbey’s domain grew from 21 acres in 1663 to 48 by 1715, thus giving him access to the finest grapes, which in turn improved quality.
 Dom Pierre Pérignon’s skills as an assembler won early recognition from his colleagues and contemporaries. Brother Pierre, his successor, described him in 1763: “Father Pérignon did not taste the grapes in the vineyards, although he went there every day as they approached maturity. Instead, he had the grapes he designated for the composition of the first cuvee brought to him. He did not taste them until the next day before breakfast, after exposing them to the night air on his windowsill. He judged their taste in relation to their years. Not only did he compose his cuvees according to this taste, but also according to the weather. Early or late harvests, cold weather, rain, the quantity of leaves on the vines…all these factors served as gauges for the composition of his highly distinctive cuvees.”
Today the grapes are no longer mixed but rather the wines that form the basis of the finished assemblage. Yet the principle remains the same: do not submit to nature, but treat it with the greatest care and respect if you wish to harvest the very best.
Thanks to discipline and skill, Dom Pérignon was the first to master the production of white wines from red grapes. The production of white wine from red grapes is the basis of the champagne revolution in the second half of the 17th century. Until then, white wines were produced exclusively from white grapes, yet the they were not very well regarded and sugar was often added to them. It was said that the wine lacked strength and quality, and that it quickly yellowed and turned before the following summer. Dom Pierre knew that these vins gris represented a giant leap forward in the quality of its production. Originally fresh, relatively light river wines, and later strong, full-bodied mountain wines, the vins gris were said to have the color of the purest spring water.
Producing a white wine from red grapes is no simple matter. The principle is to prevent the skins from coloring the juice which requires great care during harvest so as to avoid crushing the grapes while preventing them from macerating. This process requires a specific technique to gently press the grapes and purge the must, or juice.
Dom Pérignon was the originator of new techniques for cultivating vines and making wine, which were specifically designed for the production of white wines from red grapes. These innovations spread rapidly throughout the region. Centuries later, this type of production remains exclusive to champagne.
 The Style
The House of Dom Pérignon’s principle contribution in the 20th century has been its commitment to vintage years. In addition to the exclusive use of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from only the finest growths and vineyards, Dom Pérignon strictly limits itself to wines of the very best years, which have undergone long ageing. The insistence on quality is total. It is expressed in every step of the complex process of producing the wine. But the choice of a vintage goes beyond criteria of quality. It is a commitment to a style, which means that only certain years are worthy of being declared a vintage by the Chef de Cave. The assemblage thus becomes far more than a standard procedure. This commitment has a subjective aspect which gives each vintage a particularity that makes it unique, therefore it is an exciting challenge, and a unique creative act
Far from producing the exclusive and systematic expression of a single vineyard, by retaining only a few rare years, Dom Pérignon focuses on the totality of the region to further enrich these years in a creation that will never be repeated. The arrival of a vintage year is the happy, rare encounter of a style and a harvest.
The Dom Pérignon style is a constantly renewed quest for absolute balance between the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Like the keystone of Hautvillers Abbey itself, this balance aims to surpass proportional symmetry to achieve utter perfection.
The Dom Pérignon style is constructed by the Chef de Cave to create a range of sensations on the palate that reflect all the complexity of the structure, the aromas and characteristics of the vintage.
The process of creating a Dom Pérignon Rosé is both creative and technical, therefore, the Chef de Cave will produce a Rosé only when the conditions are perfect. The first Dom Pérignon Rosé was requested by the Shah of Iran in 1959 to be unveiled in 1971 at the 2500th anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire- well documented as the most prestigious party in the world. There are years that see Dom Pérignon Vintage Blanc champagne, but no Rosé. While Dom Pérignon Blanc ages for at least 7 years, a Rosé ages on lees between 8-10 years.
– Dom Pérignon expresses balance between freshness and maturity
– A dynamic balance between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
– An ethereal texture
– A silky, seamless flow
 The 1999 vintage in particular highlights two elements of the complex character of Dom Pérignon: the power : Intensity, persistence. A magnetic wine; and the paradox : Both deep and light, both mature and ethereal. A wine full of nuances and very complex.
Œnothèque means “wine library”, and Dom Pérignon Œnothèque is an amazing expression of the complexity and intensity that Dom Pérignon can achieve with age.
As it ages on the lees after the second fermentation, the wine gains in aroma and flavor. After the first seven years on the lees it has achieved the Dom Pérignon style. This stage is referred to as the “first plenitude”. A second stage or plenitude is reached after 12 to 15 years of aging. The final plenitude can be reached only after more than 20 years of aging. This mature iteration is the second great expression of the house.
Dom Pérignon Rosé is third expression of Dom Pérignon’s unique style. A delicate balancing act, this is not simply the Rosé version of Dom Pérignon Blanc. Rather, it is the crown jewel of Dom Pérignon – impetuous yet tamed. It embodies the vivacity and vibrancy of Pinot Noir while retaining the balance essential to the Dom Pérignon style.
Dom Pérignon has the highest brand awareness of any champagne in America
Known and loved by consumers worldwide, Dom Pérignon is synonymous with prestige and status.
Dom Pierre Pérignon is the spiritual father of Champagne and the creator of luxury Champagne
Dom Pierre Pérignon himself was a major innovator. His contributions to the wine of Champagne include making white wine from black grapes, blending grapes from different vineyards to improve quality, and aging in cork sealed bottles and cellars
Dom Pérignon has always been well-loved by the world’s elite
Worldwide commercial success of Dom Pérignon traces back from 1950’s with ambassadors such as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and James Bond
Dom Pérignon only releases from the finest vintage years and requires an extensive aging period
The current vintage ages a minimum of 7 years on the lees prior to release, and Dom Pérignon Oenotheque can age more than 45
Rigorous selection and dedication to quality are the hallmark of the house
Dom Pérignon only selects grapes from 12 Grand Crus vineyards in addition to select grapes from the oldest vines in Hautvillers, the home of Dom Pierre Pérignon, and the finished champagne is disgorged only when the Chef de Cave determines it is ready.
Dom Pérignon produces ethereal, seamless wines that balance freshness and maturity and balance the influence of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
History
The House was founded by Philippe Clicquot in 1772. Since its inception, Veuve Clicquot has been a specialist in Champagnes based on Pinot Noir, especially rosé. We were the first Champagne producer to ship rosé Champagne, in 1775.
In 1803, François Clicquot (the son of the founder) was married to Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin (daughter of the mayor of Reims). Madame Clicquot was widowed just two years later at the age of 27. Veuve Clicquot (Veuve means widow in French) took over her husband's business, which was almost unheard-of in that day. In 1810, the house took the name Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. The way that she ran her company, from risky overseas ventures to startling technological innovations, changed Champagne forever. Her motto is still the guiding principle of our company – "Only one quality – the finest"
In 1816, Mme. Clicquot invented the process, called rémuage or riddling, that removes the yeast of the secondary fermentation from the bottle. Before this time, champagne was a cloudy beverage. She used holes cut in her kitchen table to perfect the method of slowly tilting and turning the bottles to gather the spent yeast in the neck of the bottle. Once it had settled it could be removed by freezing the neck in a brine of salt and water, opening the bottle, removing it, and recorking. This process turned Champagne single handedly from a curiosity into a huge commercial success.
One of her riskiest ventures was the sending of a secret shipment of her Champagne to Russia in 1814 in defiance of Napoleon's blockade. Madame Clicquot attached special importance to Russia - their court was the most prestigious of Europe and the Russians were reputed to be great lovers of Champagne. In the end, her repeated efforts to open this market paid off by establishing Clicquot as a market leader. The Champagne that was sold was that of the famous 1811 vintage – “the year of the comet”. This is one of the most famous and renowned vintages of the 19th century.
Veuve Clicquot was instrumental in developing export markets worldwide - to this day, the anchor of a ship is our emblem. It was the revenue gained in part from that first success in Russia that financed the purchase of so much of the finest vineyard property. These extensive vineyard holdings in the very finest areas continue to distinguish Veuve Clicquot to the present day.
In 1841, Edouard Werlé took over for Mme. Clicquot, although she continued to play a lively role until her death in 1866 at the age of 89. Expansion of the vineyard holdings continued under M. Werlé’s son Alfred, who took over in 1884.
 In spite of the devastation of phylloxera, two World Wars and the Great Depression, Champagne Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin has continued to grow throughout the twentieth century to become one of the dominant forces in Champagne today. The company was taken public in 1963, and merged with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey in 1986. Throughout this period, our quality and reputation continued to grow. The first landmark vintage of La Grande Dame (the ’62) was released in 1972 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the house, and La Grande Dame Rosé was introduced in 1996 with the ’88 vintage.
Today, Jacques Peters is the chief winemaker at Veuve Clicquot, and was appointed cellar master in 1985. He has undertaken an ambitious program since this time to upgrade the grape sources, improve the vineyards, and improve the cellars and production facilities.
Vineyards
Champagne Veuve Clicquot has some of the most extensive vineyards of any Champagne producer – 382 ha, with an average note on the échelle des crus of 97%. Our vineyards are spread throughout the finest areas in the region:
Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are grown at Mailly (100%), Verzenay (100%), Louvois (100%), Bouzy (100%), Ambonnay (100%), Ay (100%), Verzy (100%), Mareuil-sur-Ay (99%), Villers-Marmery (95%), Ludes (94%), Pargny-les Reims (90%), Ville-Dommange (90%), and Saint-Thierry (87%).
Chardonnay is grown at Cramant (100%), Avize (100%), Oger (100%), Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (100%), Villers-Marmery (95%), and Vertus (95%).
Veuve Clicquot enjoys great prestige and consumer recognition
Clicquot has a strong association with luxury and exclusivity driven by its commanding presence in high-profile restaurant and retail accounts. It is recognized by consumers everywhere because of the distinctive packaging and label color. This branded presence means that Clicquot will sell through much more quickly than other brands of Champagne.
Veuve Clicquot is well supported by significant above-the-line marketing expenditure
Veuve Clicquot has made an important commitment to both high-profile print advertising as well as a wide array of eye-catching point-of-sale materials. These investments help drive sales both off- and on-premise.
Veuve Clicquot is crafted in a very popular style
Because of the predominance of Pinot Noir in the blend of Champagne Veuve Clicquot and the length of aging, the style is rich, aromatic and full-bodied. This style has proven very popular with American consumers, and is typified by elegance, audacity, and passion.
Veuve Clicquot is very well-regarded by the wine industry press
Critics from around the world rave about the quality of Veuve Clicquot, from the Wine Spectator to Robert Parker to Decanter to La Revue du Vin de France. Vintage after vintage, the scores are almost as consistent as the quality of the wine.
Veuve Clicquot produces wines with elegance, audacity and passion
History 
Krug was founded in 1843 by Johann-Joseph Krug in order to concentrate on the high end of the Champagne market. The traditions of Krug have been handed down from generation to generation, and today Olivier Krug has taken over for his father Henri and Uncle Rémi Krug. Production varies from year to year, but is tiny in comparison to all of the other grandes marques – a miniscule production, but the very finest, bar none.
Grape growing and harvest
Krug controls very closely all of the fruit necessary for the production of their wine. The maison owns prestigious vineyard sites in Le Mesnil, Oger, and Avizé, which are Grand Cru vineyards of the Cote des Blancs. More are found in Aÿ and Ambonnay, which provide Grand Cru Pinot Noir.
 Grapes that are purchased for Krug are supplied from a network of growers with whom the house has been working for many years – in some cases for generations. Krug purchases their entire production each year, and in return is allowed to consult closely with the growers regarding issues such as the treatment of the vine and soil, the yield and the harvest date. The average rating of all of the grapes on the échelle des crus is 98%. Most of the grapes come from Grand Cru slopes (rated a perfect 100), but Krug believes in the importance of Pinot Meunier in the blend to bring its characteristic fruit to the aroma, and few Pinot Meunier vineyards are rated 100%.
Representatives from Krug are sent into the fields to check the harvest at each location, and supervise the harvest. The grapes are gently pressed and settled overnight before fermentation begins.
Winemaking
All of the base wines at Krug are fermented (but not aged) in oak casks in the traditional Champagne method. This is not done to give the wines the vanilla flavor that is gained by fermentation in new oak – the casks used are 15 – 20 years of age. When it is necessary to replace the casks, the first year they hold only hot water. The second years they hold the wine that is to be sent to the distillery. The third year they hold the wines that are used for topping up the casks, and thus the oak flavor is spread evenly throughout the harvest.
This is done to increase the complexity of the blend, because each 205-liter barrel is a separate lot, with slightly different flavor characteristics. With barrel fermentation there is also a very slight interplay between oxygen and the fermenting wine that causes the creation of more aromas and flavors than is possible with the use of stainless steel or cement vats.
 After the alcoholic fermentation, malolactic fermentation is generally avoided, although it is not suppressed by chemical means. The base wines are never filtered, but racked by gravity and held in stainless tanks to preserve their character. Blending and stabilization also take place in stainless, and those wines to be held as reserve wines are kept in stainless blanketed with inert gas. Care is taken in selecting the base wines to ensure that they are typical of the house style. Some are kept up to twelve years.
After the second fermentation in bottle, Krug ages a very long time on its lees standing on end (sur pointes) – anywhere from six to ten years, according to the demands of the vintage. This ensures good yeast autolysis without exaggerating this effect. Krug has even released its Champagnes out of chronological order so as to ensure that the wines are aged as completely as necessary before being disgorged. Krug has an amazing 3.5 million bottles of Champagne aging in its cellar.
All of the wine at Krug is produced by barrel fermentation
This gives great complexity to the wine, since it is a blend of many discreet and individual batches or cuvees. This complexity contributes to the reputation of Krug as one of the finest wines produced anywhere.
Krug benefits from very long aging prior to release
Very long aging on the lees gives Krug an unparalleled depth of flavor, and an unexpected intensity and concentration. Allied with the quality of the fruit, this gives Krug its signature smoky, mineral quality on the nose and extraordinary finish.
Champagne Krug is synonymous with luxury
Krug is a luxury house that produces only prestige cuvée bottling – the Krug range begins where other Champagne producers leave off. This unswerving devotion to the very highest levels of quality means that Krug is absolutely essential for any account that wishes to convey a high-quality or luxury image.
Krug is a very hot brand
Krug has experienced double-digit growth in the past two years, and sales growth outperforms every other brand in the market, regardless of price. This popularity ensures that accounts promoting Krug will be seen as being cutting edge.
Krug is popular across many segments of the wine market
Once seen as the “Champagne of connoisseurs” Krug now enjoys a broad appeal, popular in clubs, restaurants, and high-end wine shops alike. This popularity ensures steady sell through for Krug supporters.
Krug embodies individuality, superiority, and modesty
History
“In the name of God and the Holy Virgin, shall this book be opened… “In was with these words, written by Nicolas Ruinart in September 1st, 1729, that the House of Ruinart was officially established. A true entrepreneur, Nicolas Ruinart fulfilled the ambition of his uncle, the Benedictine monk Dom Thierry Ruinart, to make Ruinart the premier champagne House.
Dom Ruinart, one of the most brilliant minds of his day, was the first to anticipate the importance of champagne production and trade in the future. On his travels through Europe, he noticed the growing enthusiasm for champagne in the aristocratic circles of the Royal Courts. Coming from a high society Champagne family which at the time traded woolen cloth, he passed his knowledge and vision of the champagne trade to his brother, Nicolas Ruinart. Dom Ruinart was a true pioneer who had already foreseen the cachet and commercial success of champagne. But it took a royal decree for the dream to become reality. On May 25, 1728, the King of France authorized the transport of wine in bottles; prior to that date, wine could only travel in casks, which was out of the question for champagne. The bold son of Nicolas Ruinart, also called Nicolas, was greatly inspired by his uncle and laid the foundations of the first champagne house.
 Through the centuries, those at the helm of the House of Ruinart have always made the pursuit of excellence and pioneering their priority. In 1831, the great grand son of the founder, Edmond Ruinart, opened the American market. It took him a 38-days journey to cross the Atlantic sea and he eventually introduced Ruinart to the President of the United States of America, Andrew Jackson.
As time went on, Ruinart’s fundamental values of authenticity, quality, refinement and openness have fortified its distinctive culture and art, and established its worldwide reputation as a true aesthete in its approach to champagne.
A resounding success made possible by the perceptiveness of its initiator, Dom Ruinart, to who the House paid a tribute in 1959 by creating the historic, prestigious Dom Ruinart vintage.
“Somewhere between ethics and expertise lies the art of Ruinart’s know-how”
 A pioneer in the champagne trade, the House has also stood out due to its unique know-how. The cellar master oversees the development of the wine with an expert hand – from the selection of the grapes to the way the bottles are labeled and packaged. Carefully selected grapes, wines fermented separately then skillfully blended: Ruinart excels in the art of transforming still wine into exceptional champagne.
Ruinart was the first house to acquire its Crayeres (chalk galleries), the only one to be classified as historic monument, to age its wine. The depth of the pits and the chalk from which they are made provide perfect thermal stability and optimum humidity. The constant low temperature (approx. 52º F) leads to a slow “prise de mousse” (the formation of effervescence), resulting in a mousse of incomparable finesse and quality.
The development of Ruinart’s champagnes requires a fine balance between daring and quality control and calls for extremely high standard: a subtle marriage between the Ruinart code of ethics and authenticity, and the constant pursuit of perfection. Values that are reflected in the unique, refined purity of Ruinart champagne.
Winemaking
Like an uncut diamond, the Chardonnay grape lends to sparkle to the Ruinart wines. In the constant pursuit of perfection, the Ruinart House exceeds in the art of handling this very special grape variety, with its renowned vivacity.
Chardonnay, the dominant grape variety used in all Ruinart cuvees, is the very essence of the Ruinart taste.
Grown in the Côte des Blancs and the Montage de Reims vineyards, this exceptionally high quality grape lends all its finesse, elegance and purity to the Ruinart champagnes.
 A bold step on the part of the Ruinart House, since developing Chardonnay-based blends can be a risky business. It gives the Ruinart cuvees an exceptional taste indeed, but it requires a unique know-how specific to the House. In fact, the fragility of this grape variety, which is quite difficult to make into wine, and the length of aging required to produce it fluffiness, once again require the expertise of the cellar master to reveal the magic of the Ruinart taste. A refined, distinguished taste with clean, light, pure aromas…
Over time, the exceptional qualities of the chardonnay grape continue to work inside the Ruinart bottles. This grape variety makes blends, which when consumed young, are both subtle and vibrant and which develop their aromatic complexity over time. At Ruinart, our non vintage cuvees, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Ruinart Rosé, age for at least 3 years, which is more than twice the legal time to make champagne (15 months minimum). Dom Ruinart vintage will age at least 10 years.
The remarkable qualities of the chardonnay grape has given rise to what is commonly called “Goût Ruinart”, an inimitable, universally recognized taste.
A taste with the scent of excellence that has earned Ruinart its position as the aesthete of champagne, offering sensual pleasure and absolute refinement.
“Ruinart, an initiation into the world of aesthetics”
Ruinart’s art is to sublimate the raw material and turn it into the finest work of art: exceptional champagne. Ruinart awakens the sensibilities of champagne lovers and initiates alike, and reveals to all the expression of champagne to its finest, most accomplished and perfected form. Ruinart champagne takes you into a world of sophistication and distinction, in which timeless elegance rubes with the most modern examples of creative daring. The word ‘aesthete’ sums up perfectly the spirit of the purity, luminosity and perfection of Ruinart champagnes, the fundamental characteristics that makes the Ruinart signature. A signature that Ruinart puts in all its wines, all of which comes into the characteristic Ruinart bottle, shaped after the 18th century bottle.
The Range
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs: Made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes from Premiers Crus, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is smooth and rounded on the palate. It is a balanced wine that demonstrates both finesse and power, with a beautiful luminous pale gold color, enhanced by the elegance of its clear bottle. A perfect summer aperitif champagne, delectable sipped by the pool or on a sunny terrace.
Ruinart Rosé:
A blend of 45% chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noirs from Premiers Crus only, Ruinart Rosé is an elegant, smooth, balanced, and fruity wine with plenty of body, with the distinctive Ruinart taste due to a high concentration of Chardonnay grapes.
Dom Ruinart 1996
Dom Ruinart, the visionary spirit of the oldest champagne House, was the inspiration for this exceptional cuvee. It is a rare expression from the most noble of Chardonnay, a magical experience, and a genuine feast for the senses. Dom Ruinart is always a vintage, blended exclusively from Grands Crus Chardonnays grown in the vineyards of the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims.
Dom Ruinart Rose 1996
Dom Ruinart Rose is a unique wine in the Rose champagne category. It is always a vintage, made out of Grands Crus grapes only, with an unexpected proportion of chardonnay. Dom Ruinart Rose 1996 is a blend of 84% Chardonnays Grands Crus and 16% Pinot Noirs Grands Crus, fully vinified in red from Verzenay and Verzy.
Ruinart Style: elegance, finesse, purity
Ruinart key dates:
1729: first established champagne house
1831: first import in the USA, the first consumer being the President of the USA
1959: creation of Dom Ruinart vintage
The essence of Ruinart is a visionary heritage, ethics and expertise, and the perfection of Chardonnay.
Ruinart is the oldest champagne house
Ruinart was the first house to produce sparkling wine in the Champagne region. Wine has been made in the area since Roman times, but the production of sparkling champagne wine was made possible only when the king authorized the commercial transportation of wine in bottle in the year 1728. Ruinart was founded the following year.
Based on Chardonnay, Ruinart is known for its exceptional finesse
Chardonnay is a grape recognized throughout the world for producing wines of great finesse, elegance, and balance that also exhibit power, depth of flavor and ability to age. It is this very special variety that provides the backbone of Champagne Ruinart.
Ruinart’s bottle shape reflects tradition and history
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Ruinart Rosé come in a very unique, distinctive and eye-catching bottle, which shape looks very modern although it dates back to the 18th Century, when Ruinart was founded. This shape belongs to the House and cannot be used by any other wine.
Ruinart uses only the finest grapes for it’s production
Grapes for Ruinart come only from premier cru vineyards, and for Dom Ruinart from the grand cru slopes. Grapes grown in the Champagne region are ranked by the CIVC on a scale known in French as the échelle des crus, or the “ladder of the growths”. Grapes that rank between 90 – 99 are given the distinction of being premier cru, or first growth, while those that rank a perfect 100 are designated grand cru or “great growths”.
Ruinart ages its champagnes slowly in the historic crayères
Crayères are the quarries dug into the chalk deep beneath the city of Reims by the Romans when they conquered Gaul. These deep, humid underground cellars provide an ideal environment for slowly aging champagne to perfection.
History
Chandon was founded in 1973 by John Wright and LVMH chairman Count Robert Jean de Voguë, and in 1974 planting began - now there are 1,000 acres over 64 blocks, the most important of which is in Carneros. Chandon, in fact, is the largest landowner in the Carneros region, with 900 acres of vineyards and some of the best property anywhere.
 There is also a substantial ranch in Yountville, around the winery, as well as a further 200 acres on Mt. Veeder are planted to Chardonnay, and 100 acres in Lakeville. The fruit from these estate vineyards is augmented by the best of the fruit from neighboring producers.
Each block is farmed, treated, and harvested independently. A sustainable farm program is in place, and the winery has been on the cutting edge of wetland conservation. This is part of a broad effort to combat erosion, which includes a full-time soil engineer on staff.
 In addition to the wetland conservation, biodiversity is another focus of the work in the vineyards, providing a habitat for a number of different plant and animal species, notably owls.
The philosophy in the vineyard is ultimately to ensure that the land receives as much as it gives. The natural habitat is replenished, controlled, and in many cases restored, reducing the need for pesticides and herbicides. This complimentary style of land management not only comes from the finest wine grapes, but also sets an example for our neighbors.
 The fruit is harvested very carefully. In warm years, the vineyards are picked at night, although most of the fruit is hand harvested. The winemakers have considerable input into vineyard management and harvest times specifically. In the winery, the winemaking team blends as many as 60 unique base wines from 25 vineyard sites to create each sparkling cuvée. With a wide range of diverse characteristics, Chandon crafts its signature house style – harmonious balance, caressive mouth feel and a long, soft fresh finish.
After pressing, 15 – 20% of reserve wine is added, and the must is inoculated and chaptalized and undergoes a seven day fermentation. After the alcoholic fermentation, slightly more than 20% of the base wines undergo malolactic fermentation.
For the still wine program, the Chardonnay is treated to partial whole cluster pressing, and the fermentation is begun in tank before being transferred to French oak casks. One quarter of the production undergoes malolactic fermentation.
The black grapes are cold macerated prior to their fermentation in open topped fermenters with three pumpovers daily and cask aging for a year in French oak prior to release.
The wines of Chandon are very popular
Brut Classic is the #1 selling, and Blanc de Noirs is the #2 selling super-premium sparkling wine in the U.S. Chandon also welcomes more than 200,000 visitors yearly, making it among the most popular destinations in California.
The wines of Chandon are extraordinarily well-crafted
In spite of the relatively large size of the winery, minute attention to the smallest detail means that the wines are recognized by the public and the critics as well.
The style of Chandon is versatile and food-friendly
The soft, approachable, easy drinking style is a favorite with consumers everywhere. Chandon is also home to a highly acclaimed restaurant, and the winery has long emphasized the pairing of food and wine.
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