Frédéric Panaïotis, cellar master at Ruinart, dies aged 60
Frédéric Panaïotis, head of the Ruinart cellars, died suddenly on Sunday June 15, 2025. The wine world pays tribute to him.
The wine world is in mourning. Frédéric Panaïotis, Ruinart's emblematic cellar master, died suddenly on Sunday June 15, 2025, at the age of 60. His sudden death leaves an immense void, both on a human and professional level.
A man of science and passion, a key figure in Champagne, he was universally appreciated for his generosity, rigor and enlightened vision. Since 2007, he has embodied the oenological soul of Ruinart, making a decisive contribution to the contemporary identity of this house founded in 1729.
A craftsman of excellence and a visionary spirit
Born in 1964, Frédéric Panaïotis discovered his love of wine at an early age in the vineyards of his Champagne grandparents. A graduate of the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon and an oenologist trained at ENSA Montpellier, he perfected his skills between France and California. Returning to Champagne in 1991, he first worked for the Comité Champagne, then for Veuve Clicquot, before joining Ruinart, where he was cellar master for over 18 years.
in this position, he combined high standards and sensitivity to shape the cuvées for which Ruinart is renowned, from Blanc de Blancs to the prestigious Dom Ruinart. A master of blending, he defended a precise and elegant vision of Champagne, while paving the way for strong innovations: the launch of the second-skin case, vitiforestry, a return to cork printing, the creation of a historic oenotheque, and the development of the Ruinart Blanc Singulier cuvée. These are just some of the initiatives that have set the House on the path to modernity and sustainability.
But beyond his unrivalled professionalism, his colleagues will remember him as a deeply human man, a discreet listener who was respected by all. His departure has sent a wave of emotion throughout the wine world.
" Frédéric Panaïotis was a unique personality, both extremely rational and deeply sensitive. Passionate, curious, committed, a man of science and knowledge, and blessed with great humility, he was a symbol of the values upheld by Ruinart. His unique vision will continue to leave its mark on our House for decades to come. We will miss him deeply ", said Frédéric Dufour, President, Maison Ruinart.
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