Despite not being the most talked about champagne house, Ruinart – now part of the LVMH luxury goods empire along with the likes of Krug and Dom Pérignon – was actually the world’s first champagne house. It was established in 1729 in Reims by Nicolas Ruinart who wanted to realise the dream of his uncle, Dom Thierry Ruinart, who himself a Benedict monk and a good friend of Dom Pérignon. R de Ruinart is predominantly made from Chardonnay, backed up by Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, while the Blanc de Blancs is among the best in its category. The distinctive shape of the Ruinart bottle is inspired by the first champagne bottles of the 18^thcentury. The champagne house offers hospitable, laid-back tours in the historical, Gallo-Roman chalk cellars where sommeliers gather every two years to compete for the Trophée Ruinart. The house produces only 1.7 million bottles annually. on, inc%*n �p�acular bell tower, and it was finished just in time for the harvest in 2013.