How Well do You Know Your Veuve Clicquot?

During New Year’s eve celebrations not so long ago, I noticed that the bottles of Veuve Clicquot bore a seal that read: By Appointment to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II. Purveyors of Champagne. This intrigued me as Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, a brand born in Reims, France and sold as a French product, appeared to be affiliated with the British royal family.

As it turns out, there is an interesting story behind it. François Clicquot (son of original founder Philippe Clicquot-Muiron) owned a small enterprise that was involved in a few trades including champagne production. Upon his passing, his widow, Barb-Nicole Ponsardins (Veuve translates to widow in French), a strong businesswoman, took over the reins and expanded the champagne business to include wealthy patrons, several of whom were European royals. Under Madame Clicquot’s guidance, the Veuve Clicquot house also created a process by which champagne could be mass-produced while maintaining its taste, and thereby, its value.

Veuve Clicquot is known to be responsible for establishing champagne as a celebratory drink for the bourgeoisie and royals during the 18th century, a tradition that holds true even today. In 1987, the Veuve Clicquot brand, which includes nine types of champagne (including a La Grande Dame Brut and La Grande Dame Rosé, both named after Madame Clicquot) was acquired by the LVMH group.

Veuve Clicquot and other suppliers of goods and services to royals in Britain and across Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries began bearing “Royal Warrants of Appointment” on their products as a stamp of prestige. The Queen Mother (mother of Queen Elizabeth II), well-known for her very lavish tastes and extravagant dinner parties was an avid fan of the Veuve Clicquot Rosé champagne. She was the champagne house’s single biggest private client during her days. Thus, the Veuve Clicquot bottles even today bear their affiliation to the British royals (to the current queen) as a sign of their prestigious heritage.