Champagne Widows

I have a deep love for Champagne…
the bubbles, the brilliance, and the WOMEN.
Yes, women.
At the heart of so many French Champagne houses are women who elevated their brands to celebrity status after taking the reins from their late husbands.

So today, let’s talk about the Champagne widows.

There is perhaps no Champagne widow more famous than Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, aka “Madame Clicquot.” Her brand says it all: Veuve Clicquot means “Widow Clicquot” in French. In 1805, at just 27 years old, Madame Clicquot took over the family wine business when her husband died. Today, she’s credited with major bubbly breakthroughs, including the invention of the riddling table and the production of rosé and vintage Champagne. (For more on Madame Clicquot see my post from November 7, 2023.)

Louise Pommery is another legend. She took over Champagne Pommery in 1860, when her husband died. In 1874, she created Pommery Nature, the first commercially successful brut-style (dry) Champagne. This was a huge deal at the time, breaking with the tradition of very sweet wines. (1) When Louise died in 1890, she was the first woman to receive a French state funeral. (2) Today, Maison Pommery is quirky, and filled with contemporary art. It’s one of the most unique Champagne houses to visit in Reims, with incredible chalk pits below, that Madame Pommery bought in the 19th Century to age her wines.

Champagne Laurent-Perrier has a few widows to thank for its success. Mathilde-Émilie Perrier created Laurent-Perrier when her husband, Eugene Laurent died in 1887. Like Madame Pommery, she also pushed for drier Champagnes, creating Grand Vin Sans Sucre (“wine without sugar”). When Mathilde passed away in 1925, her daughter, Eugénie-Hortense Laurent took the helm. In 1939, Eugénie actually sold Domaine Laurent-Perrier to another widow, Marie-Louise de Nonancourt, who kept the house going through WWII. Today, Laurent-Perrier is the third largest Champagne house in the world behind Moët et Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. The de Nonancourt family is still a majority owner. (3)

Camille Olry-Roederer was the widow at the head of Roederer from 1932-1975, taking over after the death of her husband Léon. At the time, the business was on the brink of bankruptcy, and she managed to steer it through WWII and back to financial success. A socialite and horse lover, she owned one of the most famous stables in the world. Camille threw legendary parties in Reims, establishing Roederer’s reputation as the festive Champagne to drink. Celebs and stars who love Roederer’s Cristal today, you have her to thank. (4)

Lily Bollinger ran Bollinger Champagne from 1941 to 1971, becoming president of the house when her husband, Jacques Bollinger, died. Known as Madame Jacques, she traveled to America in the 1950s, to make Bollinger a household name. In the 1960s she developed R.D. or “Récemment Dégorgé” (recently disgorged) Champagne that was aged on the lees (yeast) for years. She also made the first Champagne with “Vieilles Vignes Françaises” (old French vines) from two plots of vines that managed to escape phylloxera —an insect that destroyed vineyards across France in the 19th century. (5)

I’ll leave you with this famous quote of hers:

"I drink champagne when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it -- unless I'm thirsty."
-Lily Bollinger

1. https://www.champagnepommery.com/pommery-house

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Pommery

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurent-Perrier

4. https://www.louis-roederer.com/en/homepage

5. https://www.champagne-bollinger.com/en/news/history-madame-bollinger/