[imagesource:flickr]
There are many Stories of famous women winemakersThere are known names of wine greats such as Lily Bollinger, Louise Pommery and Mathilde Emile Laurent-Perrier, but none of them can compare to the incredible story of Barbe Nicole Clicquot.
Born in 1777, Barbe Nicol took over the struggling Clicquot company at the age of 27 after the death of her husband. By the time of her death in 1866 at the age of 89, she had built the struggling cellar into one of the world’s leading champagne companies.
Currently, Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut is the second best-selling champagne brand in the world, with an average retail price of R1,300 per bottle, while Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin La Grande Dame Brut ranges from R3,800 to R9,000.
The rise of the House of Clicquot is as much the history of female entrepreneurship as it is the history of Champagne. Today, we may be accustomed to women-run businesses, but for a 27-year-old woman in the early 1800s, it was a major challenge.
Barbe-Nicol’s incredible “against all odds” story is the subject of a powerful new film, “Widow Clicquot,” due for release on July 19, 2024.
For producer Christina Weiss Lurie, it was a story that needed to be told.
“I read Tilar Mazzeo’s New York Times bestseller. Widow ClicquotI immediately felt this was a story that needed to be told.”
“She was a fascinating and thoroughly modern woman living in a time when starting a business in 19th century France during the Napoleonic Wars was a difficult endeavor.”
“It’s been incredibly difficult to succeed, especially for a woman,” Christina continues. “Though her journey began over 200 years ago, her struggle still feels incredibly timely — and her determination is to be welcomed.”
The film stars Haley Bennett, Tom Sturridge and Sam Riley, but Lurie believes the real star of this period drama is the power of female entrepreneurship.
“Barbe-Nicole Clicquot’s skills revolutionized the industry. She was resourceful, daring and hardworking. She had unwavering commitment and never gave up.”
Cheers. Check out the trailer below.
[source:forbes]
