A Kick From Champagne: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It

Thw New York Times ^ | December 25, 2008 | JANE and MICHAEL STERN

[Cincinna]

“The Widow Clicquot,” Tilar J. Mazzeo’s sweeping oenobiography of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, is the story of a woman who was a smashing success long before anyone conceptualized the glass ceiling. Her destiny was formed in the wake of the French Revolution when, Mazzeo suggests, “modern society — with its emphasis on commerce and the freedom of the individual — was invented.” Barbe-Nicole, daughter of a successful textile maker turned Jacobin, is portrayed as someone whose way of doing business helped define the next century.

Fate cursed or blessed her with the mantle of early widowhood. Her husband, a winemaker from whom she learned the craft, died when she was 27, leaving her a single mother — the veuve (widow) Clicquot. Officially, the cause of François Clicquot’s death was typhoid, which was then commonly treated by feeding the patient Champagne, believed to strengthen the body against what was known as malignant fever. “To think that a bottle of his own sparkling wine might have saved François!” Mazzeo writes, going on to speculate that it is also possible he killed himself because business wasn’t good.

Already savvy about winemaking, Barbe­-Nicole plunged into a new life. Despite contemporary mores and the Napoleonic Code, which emphasized a woman’s role at home, she was not alone. She saw the success of such wine merchants as the widow Germon, the widow Robert and the widow Blanc, and understood that widows were the “only women granted the social freedom to run their own affairs.” With the gate open, she was off and running with spectacular results.

[Cincinna]

To all our members of the FRENCH POLITICS AND CULTURE PING LIST, and to all Freepers who enjoy a glass of Champagne, I lift my flute of Veuve Cliquot to you and wish you and yours a very happy and healthy New Year. If you want to join the List, FReepMail me.

[GOP_Lady]

[Red_Devil 232]

Wow! This story certainly has a lot of widow's of wine merchants making a success out of their husbands business’

Hmmmmmm...

[rmlew]

Veuve Clicquot is great champagne. Actually, I take it back. Stop buying it. It’s too expensive, its crap. No demand.

[Friend_from_the_Frozen_North]

Nice story; thank you for posting it...

[trisham]

I love champagne.

[GOP_Lady]

Do you think I love champagne, too? :-)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Cincinna.

[seoul62]

I am a wee bit late but: Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee to you and your Family and to all./Just Asking - seoul62.......

[Cincinna]

Cheers! Sante!

[trisham]

I hope so. :)

[GOP_Lady]

Cheers! Best wishes for a wonderful 2009! God bless.

[Cincinna]

CHEERS! SANTE! CHIN-CHIN

[trisham]

Thank you! May God bless you and yours, and may He bestow on you a healthy and happy new year!

Slainte!

[jimfree]

Mrs jimfree and I have enjoyed many bottles of “yellow label” over the years.

[PurpleMan]

Champagne is great. Drink it all the time. Had Veuve at my wedding. Tres yum!

[trisham]

Lucky man. :)

[GOP_Lady]

[GOP_Lady]