Global Prestige and American Demand
The Scale of Champagne Exports to the United States
The Taste of True Champagne: A Discovery in Rheims
Épernay, Moët & Chandon and the Heidsieck Legacy
From Chance to Empire: Veuve Clicquot and Roederer
Brand Identity, Legal Battles and Market Confusion
Global Prestige and American Demand
The city of Rheims holds an undeniable prestige in the world of fine wine, a name instantly recognized by consumers globally. Its prominence is printed on the labels of countless champagne bottles, from iconic houses like Veuve Clicquot to lesser-known producers.
This labelling serves as a declaration of origin for genuine winemakers and a tool of deception for imitators seeking to capitalize on the region's esteemed reputation.
American consumers are particularly familiar with the name, as the United States is one of the largest importers of champagne.
Of the approximately thirteen million bottles shipped annually from Rheims and its neighboring towns, the U.S. receives at least two million, placing it among the top global markets alongside England, Russia, and the East Indies.
These are followed in consumption by France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Africa.
The Scale of Champagne Exports to the United States
All major champagne producers contribute to the supply for the United States.
H. Piper & Co., widely known for its Heidsieck (Piper) label, leads the charge, exporting approximately 40,000 dozen bottles annually.
Other major houses contribute substantially: G. H. Mumm & Co. and Charles Heidsieck & Co. each ship 12,000 dozen; Krug & Co. 11,000; Heidsieck & Co. 10,000; De St. Marceaux & Co. 8,000; and L. Roederer, Moët & Chandon, and Jules Mumm & Co. each export around 7,000 dozen. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin ships about 5,000 dozen, with numerous lesser-known houses also contributing based on their scale.
While most of the champagne imported directly from Marne is considered authentic, it is not always of the highest quality, particularly compared to wines reserved for domestic consumption or other markets.
Indeed, some minor producers are accused of selling champagne made from grapes never grown near Rheims.
The Taste of True Champagne: A Discovery in Rheims
The disparity in quality became evident to one American visitor in Rheims.
Though well-acquainted with famous brands in the United States, tasting the wine at its source was a revelation. At dinners hosted by producers, champagne was presented not as a simple, effervescent beverage but as a true, mellow wine meant to be savoured.
For the first time, champagne was not gulped down for its sparkle but enjoyed slowly, one drop at a time.
Upon noticing the guest’s satisfaction, one host captured the sentiment perfectly, remarking, "You don't get such wine in America," then adding with a smile, "We keep that for ourselves and friends."
This inspired the visitor to select top wines from Rheims’ private cellars—especially the acclaimed 1858 vintage, known as “Consular Seal”—and send them to members of the New York Union Club, who confirmed its excellence.
Épernay, Moët & Chandon, and the Heidsieck Legacy
While Rheims is the symbolic heart of the Champagne region, other towns like Épernay, Châlons-sur-Marne, and Mareuil-sur-Ay are also key centres.
Épernay is home to the vast operations of Moët & Chandon, whose facilities feature an immense underground cellar system carved from the region’s chalk bedrock.
This cellar includes seven compartments, five underground avenues, ten large and 117 small cellars—housing 2.5 million bottles, hundreds of barrels, and hogsheads the size of the Heidelberg tun. Their site spans 12.5 acres, with nearly two miles of vaults.
Despite its impressive scale, Moët's wine is often viewed by European connoisseurs as a mass-produced, low-priced product.
In contrast, Rheims is the historic base for legendary houses like the Roederers, Clicquots, Heidsiecks, Mumms, and De St. Marceaux.
Interestingly, H. Piper & Co., which became synonymous with Champagne in America under the Heidsieck name, maintains only an office in Rheims, storing its wine in Épernay. Its early market dominance was so complete that for decades, Americans would simply ask for "a bottle of Heidsieck," without naming the wine type.
From Chance to Empire: Veuve Clicquot and Roederer
The histories of some Champagne houses are marked by fortune and strategic ingenuity.
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin—famous in Russia—owed her fortune to the 1815 invasion of France, when Russian officers indulged in her cellars. Madame Clicquot, then a 27-year-old widow with an infant daughter, persevered and skilfully built an empire by catering to this new market with a sweeter, heavily brandied champagne, a consistency that has become a weakness as it no longer suits modern palates.
Conversely, Louis Roederer & Co. built its brand through a bold marketing campaign, sending an agent across Russia with free samples. Despite nearly bankrupting the company, the agent's work built strong brand recognition.
Eventually recalled, he returned to Rheims triumphant.
Roederer now sells 75,000 dozen bottles annually, offering one of the best mass-market champagnes—though, like others, it is sweetened to appeal to general tastes.
Brand Identity, Legal Battles, and Market Confusion
In the competitive world of Champagne, brand identity is paramount, often leading to legal battles and market confusion.
Both Clicquot and Roederer have fought off imitators.
While the streets of Rheims are full of Clicquots on shops of all kinds, only one mason dared to launch a competing wine but was quickly threatened with legal action by the formidable widow.
The Roederer name, being rarer, faced a different challenge. A wine merchant found a waiter named Roederer in Strasbourg, convinced him to become a partner, and launched Théophile Roederer & Co.
The original Roederers sued, but the courts ruled a man can use his own name in business, requiring only that the founding date be included on all materials.
Still, confusion persists, and at Rheims’ Hôtel du Lion d’Or, unwitting diners often praise the lesser Roederer, thinking they’re drinking the real one.
Amid these disputes, houses like Moët & Chandon, the Mumms, and De St. Marceaux have remained free of such issues, with De St. Marceaux being praised in Rheims as the most conscientious, offering the finest wines to those willing to pay for excellence.
The story of champagne from Rheims is a rich tapestry of history, geography, and commerce.
The region's name has become a global symbol of quality and luxury, with the American market playing a pivotal role in its commercial success.
However, a significant distinction often exists between the mass-marketed wines exported abroad and the superior vintages enjoyed by local connoisseurs.
The legacies of iconic houses like Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon, and Heidsieck were built not only on the quality of their wine but also on clever strategy, historical circumstance, and fierce brand protection.
Understanding this history reveals that behind every bottle of champagne lies a complex narrative of tradition, innovation, and the enduring power of a name.
TAGS CHAMPAGNE REIMS FRENCH WINE VEUVE CLICQUOT MOËT & CHANDON HEIDSIECK CHAMPAGNE HISTORY AMERICAN WINE MARKET ÉPERNAY BRAND HISTORY MARKETING STRATEGY
