Paris, France — Ruinart, regarded as the oldest champagne house, remains one of the most innovative. Within the context of its Champagne for Art program, the house recently opened up an ephemeral experience in an unusual venue in the chic 7th arrondissement of Paris. The Unconventional Restaurant is more than a restaurant, it is a space where gastronomy and champagne and a host of original activities come together in an atmosphere imagined by the British artist David Shrigley
who presented a carte blanche art experience for Ruinart in 2020. The venue, dubbed Maison 1729, in reference to the year of Ruinart’s founding, hosts a restaurant, workshops, tastings and cooking classes.The gourmet experience is being held from October 16th to October 31st.

Exceptional chefs, including Alexandre Gauthier, Antonin Bonnet, Alessandra Montagne, Cathy Paraschiv and Julien Sebbag are on hand offering a limited series of dinners, brunches and lunches inspired by Ruinart’s vintages and set in this intriguing venue reminiscent of a culinary curiosity cabinet. The artist David Shrigley offers up art works that showcase in a new light the vineyard, heritage and savoir-faire of the Maison Ruinart juxtaposing nature with the elaboration of champagne in a journey entitled Exceptional bubbles.

Another highlight of the Ruinart experience, taking place during the high art season in Paris, is a tasting of pairings of cheeses and champagnes by the cheese purveyors Taka & Vermo. Workshops and sessions revolve around sustainable development, up cycling and creation, themes that are all dear to the house of Ruinart.

The house has selected the contemporary artist Antonin Anzil to create the ‘second skin’ packaging for its Blanc de Blancs magnums brought out in a limited edition of 20 magnums signed and numbered, with a covering sculpted by the artist who created a representation of the house’s historic vineyard located in Taissy on the Mountain of Reims where the house has launched an ambitious program of forestation of the vineyards in line with its sustainable development and ecological approach to champagne making. The lightweight case is made from natural wood fibers emanating from ecologically managed European forests and marks a reduction of 60% of the carbon imprint compared with the previous packaging.

« With this second skin case, the Maison Ruinart is confirming its pioneering role in Champagne, and its ambition in terms of social and environmental responsibility, » explained Frédéric Dufour, the president of the Maison Ruinart.

But once the ephemeral studio closes, the Ruinart vintages live on, notably the house’s Blanc de Blancs, a divine expression of Chardonnay. Among the latest vintages are the Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2009, and the Vintage 2011 pure marvels of the blending of nature and the hand of man.
©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette
Maison 1729/Unconventional Restaurant
36 rue Chevert, 75007 Paris, France
reservations at: http://www.ruinart.com