Ruinart can finally raise a glass to its new brand home.
The oldest Champagne house, founded all the way back in 1729, debuted its revamped campus in France on Wednesday. From top to bottom, the space has been redesigned to merge the new with the old, and bubbly fans will have the chance to enjoy the cellars, the grounds, a new Champagne bar, and more.
For the exterior, Ruinart enlisted Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto to design a pavilion that blends the property’s 19th-century facades with minimalist glass structures, mimicking the curve of a Ruinart Champagne bottle. Inside, meanwhile, interior designer Gwenael Nicolas similarly married elements such as wood and stone with modern metals and glass, helping to bring the centuries-old Champagne house further into the 21st century.
Image courtesy of Chloe Le Reste
Inside the facilities, you’ll find an atrium, tasting rooms, lounges, a secret cellar, and a boutique, among other features. One particular standout is the new Champagne bar, with exclusive options and a cocktail menu curated by the house’s cellar master—yes, you’ll be able to order more than just bubbly, though you can still opt for Champagne, of course. And the cocktail bar is open to the public, no appointment or reservation needed. This is the first time Ruinart is opening its doors to the public in such a way, allowing people to take in the property without planning ahead. (Exclusive experiences are still available to book in advance.)
As for the grounds, landscape architect Christophe Gautrand has created a tree-lined walking path that welcomes you to the pavilion. Stone walls along the path nod to the ancient Roman chalk caves, or crayères, that sit underground—which have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you’re interested in enjoying the outdoors as much as you are Ruinart’s bubbly, the house has built out a sculpture garden with 19 original works by artists including Andrea Bowers, Jeppe Hein, and Eva Jospin.
Image courtesy of Chloe Le Reste
“4 Rue des Crayères, the quintessence of the Ruinart spirit, has been metamorphosed to embody the maison’s vision,” Frédéric Dufour, the president of Ruinart, said in a statement. “Tradition and modernity coexist harmoniously in this historic setting where nature, culture, heritage, and savoir-faire weave together.”
More than two years in the making, the Ruinart brand home is finally able to shine—just like the bubbles in the maison’s iconic Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
Click here to see all the images of the Ruinart brand home.
