Film Notes: Widow Clicquot (2023)

Title	Widow Clicquot
Director	Thomas Napper
Starring	Haley Bennett, Tom Sturridge
Script	Erin Dignam and Christopher Monger
Premiere	September, 2023 Toronto (TIFF)
Synopsis	www.widowclicquotmovie.com/synopsis
IMDB	Widow Clicquot
Score	Generally favorable (metacritic)

About the film

Based on the true story? Not everyone agrees: “more fantasy than fiction; seeing 1811 history through 2024 eyes” (IMDB user reviews); “a curiously uninvolving piece of storytelling.” (Wendy Ide, Guardian/Observer).

But … : Never mind: a film is not a history lesson. Widow Clicquot is a very enjoyable watch. Just don’t expect to learn much about the fascinating history of Champagne (Nina Caplan, Film Review Widow Clicquot, Club Oenologique).

For some commentary from the director and main actor, see

“Widow Clicquot” Movie

From the New York Times Best-Selling Biography

The book on which the film is based, a sweeping oenobiography, provides a more accurate insight into the life and times of the Veuve. It is also well written and an interesting read. Tilar Mazzeo is an Associate Professor at Colby College and has published several books.

Title	The Widow Clicquot – The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled
Author	Tilar J. Mazzeo [www.tilar-mazzeo-author.com]
Publisher	HarperCollins
Date	October, 2009
ISBN	9780061288586
Pages	304
Excerpt	www.google.com/books/edition/The_Widow_Clicquot/fDKe3kiTvT8C

About Veuve Clicquot

Veuve’s Inventions

Veuve Clicquot claims to have invented

Creation of the first vintage champagne, the Comet Vintage (1811)
Invention of the riddling table (1816)
First ‘rosé d’assemblage” (1818)

Production was very small at the time, the Clicquot and Ponsardin families were mainly involved in textile with some wine trade on the side. When Madame Barbe-Nicole took charge of the business, wine became the sole focus and the domain would grow from 4.000 to 40.000 ha (95% of the Veuve Clicquot vines are classified as Grands or Premiers Crus). Today, VCP sells about 19 million bottles and is one of the largest champagne houses (acquired in 1986 by Louis Vuitton, now LVMH).

A Veuve in Business

At the time, the husband had full authority over his wife and her wealth. On marrying, the husband and wife’s assets (both present and future) were automatically combined, and it was the husband who administered this joint estate without the wife’s consent [Women and the Code Napoléon, Louise Hicks].

What had changed with the Napoleonic Code is that a widow could make her own financial and legal decisions. To stay in business, Barbe-Nicole had to remain Veuve.

Strange times? In France, married woman had to wait until 1955 before they were allowed to open a bank account without the permission of her husband.

For a brief bio (en français) with Patrick Demouy e.a.

En plus

Bold

The Bold Woman Award, a prize honoring Madame Clicquot around the world for 50+ years.

VEUVE CLICQUOT | BOLD WOMAN AWARD FILM 50 years

The Ride

Making champagne is a different journey every year. It’s a race, with ups and downs, twists and turns. Follow our winemaker and wine educator team through our iconic vineyards and find out how we get the best quality for Veuve Clicquot champagne.