By jdubble07 (2016-03-11)
Madame Clicquot Ponsardin is widely regarded having been the "Grand Dame of Champagne". When she inherited the company after her husband's death in 1805, the 27 year old Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin became the first woman to run a champagne house, and was named after her, Veuve Clicquot, 'veuve' being the French word for 'widow'. Her former residence now serves as the headquarters of Veuve Clicquot.