IntroductionMadame Clicquot, matriarch of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, developed new methods for producing Champagne and she was one of the first to ship it internationally. This seminal Champagne house specializes in wines made with Pinot Noir, particularly rosés. The Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label is one of the most widely enjoyed Champagnes in the world.
HistoryPhilippe Clicquot founded the house of Clicquot in 1772. Since its inception, the house has been a specialist in Champagnes that are based on the Pinot Noir grape, particularly rosés. Veuve Clicquot was the first Champagne producer to ship rosé in 1775.
In 1803, François Clicquot (the son of the founder) married Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin (daughter of the mayor of the Champagne village of Reims). Madame Clicquot was widowed just two years later at the age of 27 when her husband died of fever. Veuve Clicquot (Veuve means widow in French) took over her husband's business, unheard of at the time. From then on Madame Clicquot’s business methods—from risky overseas ventures to revolutionary technological innovations—forever changed the Champagne industry as a whole. In 1810, she renamed the house Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin.
In 1816, Mme. Clicquot invented a process called rémuage or riddling, which proved to be an important step in dégorgement (where the spent yeast sediment leftover from secondary fermentation is ejected from the bottle). Before this time, Champagne was cloudy due to this sediment. Mme. Clicquot cut holes in her kitchen table, creating a rack for the bottles to sit upside down. She then perfected the method of slowly tilting and turning the bottles just a little bit everyday for a long period of time. Thanks to gravity, the spent yeast collected in the neck of the bottle. Once the sediment settled, it could be removed by freezing of the bottle’s neck in salt water, removing the cork and releasing the yeast. Then the bottle could be recorked and the Champagne would be clear.
One of Mme. Clicquot’s riskiest ventures was sending secret shipments of her Champagne to Russia in 1814 in defiance of Napoleon's embargo. She knew that her Russian customers were her most important because Russia’s court was the most prestigious in Europe and the Russians were reputed to be great lovers of Champagne. The first vintage Mme. Clicquot shipped to Russia was the famous 1811 vintage also known as “the year of the comet” for The Great Comet of 1811, which was visible for 18 months. Not only was 1811 an exciting year in astronomy, but it was one of the most well regarded Champagne vintages of the 19th century.
In the end, Mme. Clicquot’s repeated efforts to expand the market in Russia paid off with Clicquot becoming the market leader there. Veuve Clicquot was instrumental in developing export markets worldwide. Revenue gained from that success in Russia was instrumental in financing the purchase of large pieces of the finest vineyard property in Champagne. These extensive vineyard holdings continue to distinguish Veuve Clicquot today.
In 1841, Edouard Werlé took over for Mme. Clicquot, but she continued to play a lively role until her death in 1866 at the age of 89. Expansion of the vineyard holdings continued under M. Werlé’s son, Alfred, who took over in 1884.
Despite the widespread devastation of phylloxera, two World Wars and the Great Depression, Champagne Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin continued to grow throughout the twentieth century and remains a dominant force in Champagne today. The company went public in 1963 and merged with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy in 1986. Throughout this period, its quality and reputation have continued to grow.
The first landmark vintage of La Grande Dame, 1966, was released in 1972 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the house and La Grande Dame Rosé was introduced in 1996 with the 1988 vintage.
Currently, Dominique Demarville is the chief winemaker at Veuve Clicquot.
[Link to this Entry]
The Champagne most wine drinkers immediately think of when they want a glass of bubbly, this Champagne is the classic blend of the three grapes grown in Champagne: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Always shows remarkable consistency from year to year, with balance, freshness and round fruit characters, this is the most recognizable bottle of Champagne on the planet.
Created from a blend of eight of Veuve Clicquot's historic Grand Cru vineyard sites and aged for an extended period in the ancient chalk cellars, this vintage-dated wine is a blend of 60-65% Pinot Noir and 30-35% Chardonnay that give this Champagne an aristocratic character and incomparable finesse. Harmonious, sweet and noble this wine is silky on the palate, with dynamic flavors, impeccable balance and an extremely long finish.