‘She never left Reims but she conquered the world’. Madame Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, 1777 – 1866. Founded in 1772 by the Clicquot family, the House of Veuve Clicquot established its reputation on the outstanding quality of its champagne. The House excelled under the leadership of la veuve Clicquot who, having lost her husband François in 1805, took over the family business to become one of the first business women of all time.
A successful entrepreneur, she overcame the Napoleonic trade blockades to deliver champagne to the Imperial Russian Court. She invented the ‘table de remuage’ intrinsic to the riddling process which leaves champagne so brilliantly clear. Her invention was subsequently adopted by all champagne houses.
Over two centuries of passion for quality have given Veuve Clicquot a reputation for unrivalled excellence recognised throughout the world. From the flagship Yellow Label, a full bodied marriage of style and finesse, to the award winning Vintage range, each wine beautifully epitomises the House style, with its trademark combination of power and elegance. Named after Madame Clicquot herself, little compares with the exquisite prestige cuvée, La Grande Dame, regarded by critics and connoisseurs around the world as amongst the greatest champagnes ever produced.
The Veuve Clicquot Award Australia The Veuve Clicquot Award was launched in France, in 1972, to honour women who exemplify the qualities that earnedMadame Clicquot the reputation as la grande dame de la Champagne. An international award, now taking place in 16 countries, the Veuve Clicquot Award commemorates Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, the woman whose name this elegant champagne now bears.
2008 marks the fourth consecutive year of this prestigious award in Australia. Celebrated past winners include oil tanker Captain Suzannah Vaughan, the first female in Australia appointed to this position. In 2006, the award recognised Sarina Bratton, founder of Orion Expedition Cruises, and in 2005 the recipient was co founder of Withcott Seedlings, Wendy Erhart.
These three dynamic Australian women are now ‘friends of the Widow’ and belong to a select group celebrating outstanding achievement. The judging panel is no less formidable, including Justice Annabelle Bennett AO, Deeta Colvin, Janet Holmes a Court AC, David Murray AO, Marilynne Paspaley, Robert Remnant and Alison Watkins.
Each country celebrates its winners between March and May and, in June, the laureates gather at the Veuve Clicquot Maison in France, to share their considerable experiences amongst the famous Veuve Clicquot vineyards and cellars at Reims. Each year thereafter the winners also receive a gift of Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame champagne to celebrate in style.