Veuve Clicquot
ChampagneFrance
The most popular Veuve Clicquot Champagne brands are rated and compared to other brands. Detailed descriptions along with tasting notes are provided.
Philippe Clicquot opened a house in Reims in 1772. At the age of 27, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, the widow Clicquot, took over the family wine business in 1805. Veuve Clicquot is one of the most significant houses in Champagne.
Brut White Blend
Non-vintage
Vintage
Brut Rose
Non-vintage
Vintage
About
The overall Veuve Clicquot style tends toward fuller bodied and rich. Drinkable upon release, but definitely at their best when cellared for a couple of years.
Veuve Clicquot is one of the most significant houses in Champagne. The story of the widow and her legacy is amazing. Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, 'La Grande Dame', managed to build an empire at a time when women were not accepted as business leaders by any stretch of the imagination. Read more about the history of Veuve Clicquot in our Veuve Clicquot History report below.
Annual Production
1.5 million cases are produced annually.
Producer Style
Veuve Clicquot style tends toward full bodied and rich. Biscuity notes develop with age.
Producer Type
Veuve Clicquot has 963 acres under vine but that is not nearly enough to supply their needs. The remainder is purchased from more than 1000 growers. The French regulations designate Veuve Clicquot as a Negociant Manipulant (a producer who buys grapes from growers).
Producer Website
www.veuveclicquot.comPeople
Current Owner
LVMH Group (Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton)
Cellar Master
Didier Mariotti (Since 2020)
Mr. Mariotti has been dedicated for 25 years to champagne, through various positions successively held at Moet & Chandon, Nicolas Feuillatte and G.H. Mumm.
Production
Yoann Pierre
History
Philippe Clicquot was a businessman and textile merchant. He opened a house in Reims in 1772 that had a moderate wine trade. Most of the wine was based on the pinot noir grape. In 1798/99, Philippe's son, Francois Clicquot joined the business and married Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin. Barbe-Nicole's father was also a wealthy textile merchant and the marriage was economically advantageous for the families. Barbe-Nicole assumed the traditional role of wife and Francois was happy to share his passion and ideas as he carried on the family business. The couple had a daughter, Clémentine, in 1800. Five years later tragedy struck when Francois died.
In 1805 at the age of 27, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, the widow Clicquot, took over the family wine business. She was one of the first great female entrepreneurs of all time. This was during a time of many struggles with war, depression, disease and general turmoil in the world. Her father-in-law, deeply saddened by his only son's death, wanted to sell the business, but the widow insisted on keeping it going. At Philippe Clicquot's insistence, the widow took on a business partner, Alexandre Jérôme Fourneaux and the firm became Veuve Clicquot Fourneaux and Company. Alexandre was also a winemaker and Barbe-Nicole spent the next few years learning all she could about the craft. Alexandre left the firm after about 4 years and in 1810 the widow gave the house her name, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. During this same time period Veuve Clicquot hired Antoine Müller, who devised a process called remuage for clearing the sediment out of the aging wine using the pupitre in 1815/16.
Veuve Clicquot began making vintage champagne and it was the exceptional 1811 vintage or so called "comet vintage" that made the house famous. Clicquot began shipping to Russia where she developed a strong following.
In 1866 at the age of 89, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, 'La Grande Dame,' died peacefully. She left the business to her cellar master, Édouard Werlé, a loyal friend and business partner who had always watched out for the widow's best interests. The famous "Yellow Label" that first appeared in 1873 was trademarked in 1877. In 1884, Édouard's son Alfred took over.
It was in the 1960's the first vintage of Veuve Clicquot's prestige cuvée, "La Grande Dame" was produced. "La Grande Dame" was launched in the 1970's to celebrate the company's bicentennial. In 1972, the company incorporated an award for exceptional business women, the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award.
In 1986, the house was brought into the Moet Hennessy group. Moet Hennessy merged with Louis Vuitton the following year. Veuve Clicquot's motto, "Only one quality – the finest" remains the house's guiding principle.