Veuve Clicquot

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Veuve Clicquot is a brand of champagne, easily recognized by its distinctive bright yellow bottle labels. Founded in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot-Muiron, Veuve Clicquot played an important role in establishing champagne as the beverage of choice of European nobility and the wealthy bourgeoisie. Situated in Reims, Veuve Clicquot has been part of the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy group of luxury brands since 1987.

[edit] History

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Barbe Nicole Ponsardin, born on 16 December 1777, married François Clicquot on 10 June 1798, the son of Philippe Clicquot-Muiron, but her husband died on 23 October 1805, leaving her a widow (French veuve) and in control of the company. During the Napoleonic Wars, she was successful in exporting her champagne (to Imperial Russia in 1814, among others) and establishing it in the royal courts. She also supervised the champagne production itself closely, bought vineyards, and invented the table de remuage, the table used for the process of shaking the bottles during the second fermentation to get rid of the deposits.

Madame Clicquot died on 29 July 1866, leaving behind a well-established, almost mythical brand of champagne that continues to represent an important part of the French savoir vivre in the minds of many.

Mireille Guiliano, current president and CEO of Clicquot, Inc. has recently published French Women Don't Get Fat, which explains the secret behind the French Paradox of dining well and staying thin.

Veuve Clicquot now owns a controlling interest in New Zealand's Cloudy Bay Vineyards, which many critics believe produces some of the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world.