Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin was widowed in the early 1800s, and in an unprecedented move, took control of the Clicquot Champagne house in Reims. ‘La Grande Dame’ built a champagne legacy that lives on at Clicquot, in bottles of bubbly, and as a female pioneer in history books.
March is International Women’s History Month, a perfect time to remember all the contributions women have made over the centuries.
There have been women leaders in all sorts of industries and when it comes to wine, one of the most important was Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, the daughter of a textile manufacturer in Reims, in the heart of the Champagne region.
She was widowed at the age of 27, and soon after, took control of the Clicquot Champagne house.
This was during the 1790s, so for a young woman to take charge of a major business such as a Champagne house, was not common. That in itself made Madame Clicquot an important figure, but it was the work she accomplished at the house that truly made her so memorable in the history of wine.
Her accomplishments included producing the first vintage Champagne, making the first blended rosé Champagne, and inventing the riddling table.
Champagne Veuve Clicquot has been a successful company for more than 200 years, thanks in large part to the widow Clicquot’s passion and determination. The company paid a tribute to the “great lady” when they first produced a luxury cuvée known as La Grande Dame in 1962 (a few bottles were produced from that vintage; the first worldwide commercial release was from the 1966 vintage.)
Traditionally the wine was a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, but in recent years, the percentage of Pinot Noir in this wine has increased dramatically; this is in keeping with the Pinot Noir majority of the house’s cuvées. Madame Clicquot said more than 200 years ago, “Our black grapes give the finest white wines.”
The current release of La Grande Dame from the 2015 vintage, overseen by chef-de-cave Didier Mariotti, is a blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay, primarily from Grand Cru vineyards, including the prestigious Clos Colin parcel in the village of Bouzy that is one of the most highly praised for its Pinot Noir.
So as we celebrate Madame Clicquot during this Women’s History Month – or any month for that matter – raise a glass to the artisans at Champagne Veuve Clicquot for keeping the passion of this “great lady” alive today, more than two centuries after her bold business decisions.
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