Madame Clicquot Ponsardin - The Grand Dame of Champagne

The history of Veuve Clicquot is almost as fascinating as a walk through their caves in Champagne, France. It is a testament to a woman who never give up and she set an example for women everywhere - while making some of the best bubbly out there!

Francois Clicquot was the son of a wine-maker who married Barbe Nicole Ponsardin in 1798. The two had a short-lived marriage as Francois died in 1805. Although she was only 27 years old, the Widow Clicquot wanted to keep the family wine business going. With her father's help (it was impossible for a woman to do something completely on her own in those days), she began perfecting champagnes at the newly named Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin.

Despite the turmoil in France of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, Madame Clicquot Ponsardin continued to be a leader in Champagne (the city and the wine). She is credited with working with cellar master Antoine de Muller to invent the riddling rack. The rack involved a rotation of the bottle to better collect the sediments and yeast from the bottles neck. The riddling rack is still used in the 21^st century by champagne makers.

Madame Clicquot Ponsardin became one of the richest women in Europe in her own right as she put her heart and soul into her champagne. She would attempt to get her daughter to express the same love of sparkling wine, but Clementine's heart was with writing. Clementine's husband, Louis de Chevigne helped for awhile, but his efforts put the family in debt. Eduoard Werlé went from employee to part owner. Madame Clicquot Ponsardin remained involved in the winemaking operations until her death in 1866.

Veuve Clicquot remained in the Werlé family until it was purchased in 1986 by LVMH and it continues under the Moet-Hennessy label. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is the second largest champagne house in the world (the first is sister company Moet Chandon). The public can make an appointment to visit Veuve Clicquot for talks of the history of Madame Clicquot Ponsardin, tours through the cellars 25 meters underground (and 24 kilometers long) and tastings of the champagne. Their most famous champagne is the Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label. It was Eduoard Werlé who started the company's orange/yellow trademark colors in 1877.

For more information on Veuve Clicquot, or to arrange a visit to explore and taste, go to their website.