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Madame Clicquot, ''née'' Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, Widow Clicquot or Veuve Clicquot (16 December 1777 – 29 July 1866), known as the "Grande Dame of Champagne", was a French Champagne producer. She took on her husband's wine business when widowed at 27. Under her ownership, and her skill with wine, the company developed early
Susan Vinnicombe, John Bank, 2003, . Retrieved 17 March 2009 Her mother was Jeanne Josephe Marie-Clémentine Letertre-Huart. She married François Clicquot at the age of 21. Her husband died six years later leaving her a widow at 27 with a six year old daughter Clémentine. Her husband's death may have been suicide, but it was attributed to typhoid. Madame was wealthy by virtue of her very well connected family.
Tilar J. Mazzeo, , 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2009
Her husband François died in 1805, leaving his widow (''veuve'' in French) in control of a company variously involved in banking, wool trading, and champagne production. Under Madame Clicquot's control, the house focused entirely on champagne, and thrived using funds supplied by her father-in-law. Under her management and her skill with wine, the company developed early champagne using a novel technique called
Madame Clicquot, ''née'' Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, Widow Clicquot or Veuve Clicquot (16 December 1777 – 29 July 1866), known as the "Grande Dame of Champagne", was a French Champagne producer. She took on her husband's wine business when widowed at 27. Under her ownership, and her skill with wine, the company developed early champagne
Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...
using a novel technique. The brand and company of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin () is a Champagne house founded in 1772 and based in Reims. It is one of the largest Champagne houses. Madame Clicquot is credited with major breakthroughs, creating the first known vintage champagne in 1810, and i ...
still bears her name.
Biography
Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, born 16 December 1777 inReims
Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne.
Founded by ...
, was the daughter of a wealthy father, Ponce Jean Nicolas Philippe Ponsardin (from 1813, Baron Ponsardin), a textile manufacturer and politician.Women with AttitudeSusan Vinnicombe, John Bank, 2003, . Retrieved 17 March 2009 Her mother was Jeanne Josephe Marie-Clémentine Letertre-Huart. She married François Clicquot at the age of 21. Her husband died six years later leaving her a widow at 27 with a six year old daughter Clémentine. Her husband's death may have been suicide, but it was attributed to typhoid. Madame was wealthy by virtue of her very well connected family.
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
and Josephine had both stayed at her family's home (L'Hotel Ponsardin was the name of their household, not literally a hotel). Her father was made mayor of Reims by Napoleon's decree. ''The Widow Cliquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It''Tilar J. Mazzeo, , 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2009
Her husband François died in 1805, leaving his widow (''veuve'' in French) in control of a company variously involved in banking, wool trading, and champagne production. Under Madame Clicquot's control, the house focused entirely on champagne, and thrived using funds supplied by her father-in-law. Under her management and her skill with wine, the company developed early champagne using a novel technique called riddling
The traditional method is the process used in the Champagne region of France to produce Champagne. It is also the method used in various French regions to produce sparkling wines (not called “Champagne”), in Spain to produce Cava, in Port ...
. Prior to this invention the second fermentation of wine to create champagne resulted in a very sweet wine with large bubbles and sediment from the remains of the yeast (wine), yeast used in the fermentation in the bottle (which creates the bubbles in the wine) resulting in a cloudy wine.
She still used the original English technique of adding sugar, but after this second fermentation was complete the bottles were held upside down. The bottles were regularly turned so that the dead yeast would all gather near the cork (riddling). Once the settling was complete, the wine near the cork was removed, followed by an addition of wine to refill the bottle.
The musical "Clicquot, A Revolutionary Musical" written by Lisette Glodowski and Richard C. Walter was written about Madame Clicquot's life
Legacy
Clicquot died 29 July 1866, in Boursault. She had built the Neo-Renaissance style Château de Boursault in honor of the marriage of her granddaughter Marie Clémentine de Chevigné to Louis de Mortemart-Rochechouart in 1839. Anne de Rochechouart de Mortemart inherited the chateau on Madame Clicquot's death in 1866. Anne was the daughter of Marie Clémentine and Louis.References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clicquot, Barbe-Nicole 19th-century French businesspeople 19th-century French businesswomen Champagne producers 1777 births 1866 deaths Business people from Reims