Born in 1777, Nicole Barbe Ponsardin married François Clicquot in 1798. She was widowed at the age of 27. Veuve Clicquot ( Veuve means widow in French) defied every convention of the day to take the helm of her late husband's small Champagne house and took over all of his other affairs. In 1816, Madame Clicquot invented the first table de remuage (riddling table) to clarify her wines. The principle of remuage is to bring the solid deposits formed as the wine ages down to the neck of the bottle by turning the bottle once or several times a day and gradually tilting it to a vertical position. The bottles are then ready for disgorging.
Concerned with perfections, she went to her cellars at night to ensure the perfect evolution of her vintages. A commercial success from the start, her precious wine became legendary. The champagne she made was said to have spread the best of French knowledge wherever it was found. While Europe was torn by war, she managed to ship her wines throughout the world. Audacious and imaginative, she introduced her champagne to all the great courts in Europe. She bought parcels in the best vineyards and fought actively against counterfeiters.
Madame Vueve Clicquot died in 1866 at the age of 89. She left behind a great House, symbols of French excellence and the pleasure of good taste. Vueve au lieu de Veuve