Veuve Clicquot

Foundation Philippe Clicquot was a successful textile merchant, a banker, and an owner of vineyards in the Champagne country. In 1772, he established a wine business. Both Barbe-Nicole and Philippe were devastated by François' death, and Philippe Clicquot announced his intention of liquidating the company. Champagne also became a vehicle for celebrating events. Cellars housed a hospital and a chapel. Even short plays were put on in these premises. where it remains today, headed up by Jean-Marc Gallot. Shipwrecked bottles In 1987, an expedition, licensed by the Michigan Department of State and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and headed by underwater archaeologist E. Lee Spence, recovered a number of cases of Veuve Clicquot (Yellow Label, Dry) Champagne from the 9 November 1913 shipwreck of the Canadian steamer Regina in Lake Huron, off Port Sanilac, Michigan. Spence afterwards described the still sparkling Champagne as "quite dark in color but as having an excellent taste." The shipwreck site is located in approximately 83 feet of water at latitude 43°20.24′ North, longitude 82°26.76′ West. The water temperatures at the wreck site range from 1–⁠18 °C (35–⁠65 °F). In July 2010, a group of Finnish divers found 168 bottles of champagne beneath the Baltic Sea off the coast of Åland. Bottles were sent back to France for analysis. Ninety-nine of them were identified as Juglar, forty-six as Veuve Clicquot, and at least four as Heidsieck. When the wine was tasted in 2015, several of them were still drinkable, well-preserved thanks to the cold and dark conditions at the depth. Chemical analysis showed levels of sugar (150 g/L) much higher than modern champagne (more than most Sauternes), compared to today's champagnes which are generally between 6 and 10g per litre. It also had much higher levels of salt, iron, lead, copper, and arsenic compared with modern vintages. It is believed the arsenic and copper originated from antiquated pesticide (Bordeaux mixture) applied to the grapes. The iron probably came from nails used in the wine barrels, and the lead leached from brass valve fittings of the winemaking equipment. Modern champagne producers begin with wine from stainless steel barrels, yielding lower iron and lead levels. On 17 November 2010, the local government of Åland announced that most of the bottles were to be auctioned off. A bottle of nearly 200-year-old Veuve Clicquot broke the record for the most expensive champagne ever sold. In 2011, a bidder paid €30,000 for one of them found in the Baltic Sea. It will be resurfaced in 40 years and compared with another set of champagne aged underground at the same depth. It is the oldest bottle bearing a yellow label kept in the Veuve Clicquot house collection. In 2001, Cecile Bonnefond became the first female president of Veuve Clicquot since the widow herself was running the company. == Wine-making ==

Crayères The oldest parts of the Veuve Clicquot cellars (the "crayères") were originally chalk-pits (chalk quarries). Fifty-five percent of Veuve Clicquot's vineyards are categorized as Grand Cru and 40% are Premier Cru. Madame Clicquot studied this issue to find a solution. She is credited with a great breakthrough in champagne handling that made mass production of the wine possible. Assisted by her cellar master Antoine de Müller, she invented the riddling table ("remuage") in 1816. Instead of transferring the wine from bottle to bottle, she kept the wine in the same bottle but agitated it gently. Composed much like a wooden desk with circular holes, the rack allowed a bottle of wine to be stuck sur point or upside down. For six to eight weeks, a cellar assistant would gently shake and twist the bottles (remuage), rotating them by a quarter-turn every day, This technique was perfected to produce a crystal-clear champagne. These methods are still used today, with a few minor improvements. Not only did the quality of her champagne improve, but Veuve Clicquot was able to produce it faster, Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is a blend of between 50 and 60 different crus, made of pinot noir (50%), meunier (20%) and chardonnay (30%). This champagne is aged for 36 months. In 2017, Veuve Clicquot released its first ultra-dry champagne, the non-vintage "Extra Brut Extra Old" cuvée. This champagne has a low-sugar dosage, is double-aged and blended exclusively from the house's reserve wines of six different vintages. == Management ==

• Chairman: Jean-Marc Gallot • Cellar Master: Dominique Demarville == Communication ==

Logo When Philippe Clicquot began producing champagne, he simply sold "champagne wine". There were no labels on the bottles. The earliest brand he used dates from 1798. It bears the initials "C.M. & F." as "Clicquot-Muiron et Fils". The initials were set within a design of a marine anchor, as a universal symbol of hope, engraved on the cork. His bottles were sealed with green wax, flecked with gold. This green wax was the sole means by which bottles could be recognized by customers. In 1814, Louis Bohne asked Madame Clicquot to "have a pretty ornamental design printed". This was probably one of the first labels used for champagne. The green bottle sealing wax was gradually replaced by foil or tinsel wrapped round the cork. In 1895, it was covered with an additional plain, varnished or polished metal cage, bearing the anchor logo and the initials V.C.P. In 1899, white or yellow paper band, depending on the quality of the wine, was added to the neck of the bottle. It took its current form four years later, in 1903. , 4 July 1896 Yellow label The yellow label began appearing on bottles in 1876. The house pasted a yellow label on its bottles to distinguish dry champagne from sweet on the British market. The color of the label was officially trademarked in 1877 and its use was extended to all bottles. The appearance of the yellow label coincided with growing preference for champagne containing less sugar. In 1897, the yellow label was chosen for "brut" champagne. == Sponsoring ==

Business Woman Award The Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award was created in France in 1972 on the occasion of the bicentenary of the house's founding. It has recognized some of the most prolific female business leaders and rewards enterprising spirit, courage, determination and innovation. Linda Bennett, Anya Hindmarch, Anita Roddick, Zaha Hadid and Susan Lyons. The brand also organizes The Veuve Clicquot New Generation Award, recognizing the success of businesswomen between the ages of 25 and 39. Mikaela Jade, founder and CEO of Indigital, was in 2018 the latest winner of the Veuve Clicquot New Generation Award. Polo Classic Since 2008, Veuve Clicquot has hosted the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic at the Liberty State Park near New York and the Will Rogers State Historic Park in Los Angeles each year. Other events Veuve Clicquot organizes various events such as the Veuve Clicquot Widow Series and a couple other events such as Clicquot in the snow and Carnaval, taking place in Miami every year since 2012. ==In popular culture==

In the decade between 1830 and 1840, the brand was mentioned many times in operettas, vaudeville, variety shows, and reviews. Many 19th-century Russian novels used the term "klikoskoïe" as a synonym for high-class champagne. In Ian Fleming's novel Casino Royale, the champagne is mentioned twice. The first instance is during his baccarat showdown with Le Chiffre, and the second later in the story when he is accompanying Vesper Lind. The brand is also mentioned in songs. On his 2010 album Rolling Papers, Wiz Khalifa raps, "I'm sippin' Clicquot and rockin' yellow diamonds" in his song 'Black and Yellow'. In 2017, fiction podcast The Amelia Project would begin. It heavily features Veuve Clicquot in many episodes, usually during a toast at the end of the episode between the Interviewer and his client in celebration of said client's new life thanks to their services. In 2023, Haley Bennett portrayed Madame Clicquot in the film Widow Clicquot which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival; it had its wide release on 19 July 2024. The film is "based on Tilar J. Mazzeo's New York Times bestseller The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It" and focuses on "the true story behind the Veuve Clicquot champagne family and business that began in the late 18th century", although with multiple embellishments. ==See also==