Philippe Clicquot-Muiron founded the house in Reims in 1772. His son François joined the business in 1798 and married Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin the same year. François died in 1805, and Barbe-Nicole, then 27, took over. She launched her own company, Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin, on 21 July 1810. She is credited with one of the first known vintage champagnes that year, with the invention of the riddling process in 1816, and with the first known rosé champagne in 1818. She ran the house until her death in 1866.

Édouard Werlé and later his son Alfred managed the house from the 1840s. Veuve Clicquot became part of LVMH in 1987. The vineyards cover about 393 hectares, planted to roughly 50% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir and 5% Meunier, with 55% rated Grand Cru and 40% Premier Cru. The wines age in the house's chalk cellars, dug 55 to 65 feet underground, where the temperature stays close to 9°C. Non-vintage wines are aged at least 30 months, vintage wines five to ten years. La Grande Dame, the flagship blend, was first made in 1969.

At Dynamic Cellars, our Veuve Clicquot selection is built around La Grande Dame: we carry the 1990 and 1996 vintages. See more in Champagne, Grandes Maisons, Grand Cru Champagne and Collector Wines (15+ Years).