The Champagne region is unique in wine for the role played by widows, or veuves in French. In the 19th century, the lives of most women were strictly controlled by their husbands, or later by their sons. Only widows could inherit and run businesses. The three best-known widows are Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin of Veuve Clicquot, Louise Pommery and Lily Bollinger. But there were more.
Born in 1777, Veuve Clicquot inherited her husband’s business at the age of 27 and ran the Champagne business (as well as banking and wool companies) very successfully until her death in 1866. A skilled marketeer, she grew the company rapidly. She is credited with three firsts that changed the world of Champagne forever: the use of the riddling table to clarify the wine; the blending of red and white wine for rosé Champagne; and single-vintage Champagne. She became the Grande Dame de Champagne, and today Veuve Clicquot names its finest luxury Champagne after her.
Apolline Henriot took charge of her father’s wine and cloth businesses. Their vineyards had been in family hands since 1640. Inspired by her great uncle, who wrote the first book on producing Champagne, she founded the house of Henriot in 1808.
Jeanne Alexandrine Louise Pommery lost her husband in 1860 at the age of 38. As well as rearing her children, she expanded the business greatly, moving from red wine to sparkling. Having gone to boarding school in England, she saw a gap in the market for Brut, or dry, Champagne. including increased exports to Britain. She was also concerned with her employees setting up one of the first pension and health funds for her workers in France.
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Moving on a few years, we come to Mathilde Emile Perrier, who took over the business in 1887 on the death of her husband. She combined the family names to establish Veuve Laurent-Perrier. When she died without an heir, the firm was bought by another widow, Veuve Marie-Louise Lanson de Nonancourt, whose family still own the house today.
Lily Bollinger is a more recent widow, having taken over the venerable house of Bollinger when her husband died in 1941, running it very successfully until her retirement in 1971. She was responsible for a number of innovations, including the famous Bollinger RD (Récemment Dégorgé or recently disgorged) as well as the first Vieilles Vignes Françaises, Champagne made from very old pre-phylloxera vines. She is also responsible for the most famous quote about Champagne: “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”.
Today a woman does not need to be a widow to take over a Champagne house, although in 1991 Carol Duval-Leroy took over Duval-Leroy on the death of her husband. Expert Essi Avellan writes in the World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine that “this small, tough, determined lady has increased the quality, the volume and the brand image of this house”.
In addition, Alice Paillard has taken over from her father, Bruno Paillard, and is now chief executive of the eponymous brand of luxury Champagne and Vitalie Taittinger, daughter of Pierre-Emmanuel, is president and chief executive of this famous house.
