Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin was born in 1777, the daughter of a textile manufacturer in Reims, Champagne. Widowed at the age of only 27, she took control of her own destiny and became one of the first modern entrepreneurs. In an era when women were excluded from the business world, she dared to assume the head of the company founded by her father-in-law in 1772, a role she undertook with passion and determination.
Her creativity led to many firsts in Champagne:
the first known vintage champagne; t
he invention of the riddling table;
the first known blended rosé champagne.
Three inventions that revolutionised champagne making and were widely adopted by producers, becoming the basis of modern champagne production.
11 Cellar Masters have ensured quality remains
In 1909, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin acquired the underground white limestone quarries, known as crayères. The temperature of the tunnels and their constant humidity, as well as the calm which reigns there, make the tunnels an ideal location for the production of champagne. Vaults were added to the first network of medieval tunnels in order to increase their storage capacity, thus making a 24-km underground network: the largest network of tunnels of all the champagne companies in Reims!
The company was purchased in 1986 by Louis Vuitton (now part of the LVMH group formed in 1987) and continues to expand worldwide.
These fabulous wines are available from The Grape Wizard and the Sommelier please have a look at the Chardonnay’s , Pinot Noir and all other varietals on the site
