JANUARY 2026

A selection of less well-known news stories from Champagne

Since we are still only a couple of weeks into 2026, I hope it’s not too late to wish you and yours a very Happy New Year.

Since we share a common interest in champagne, I thought you might be intrigued by this light-hearted selection of news from Champagne that you probably won’t find anywhere else.

I hope you enjoy the read and do feel free to let me know if you have any questions or comments

“Welcome to the vineyards of Verzy. The most beautiful in all of Champagne.”

There are some 320 villages in Champagne, and I imagine that the inhabitants of each one feel that their village is the best. Whatever the truth of the matter, Verzy must have a claim to be at the top of the list.

Of course, I’m biased because I lived there for 20 years or so, but I am not alone in my opinion.

The quotation above is from the opening lines of the film Widow Clicquot, spoken by Monsieur Clicquot to his young bride — before she tragically became a widow and went on to make history.

If you haven’t seen the film, you’re not alone. It never enjoyed wide distribution, though it can be found on several online platforms. You can hear those famous opening lines in the trailer here:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3234122/

I wouldn’t say it’s a great movie but it’s an interesting tale for anyone interested in champagne.

Curiously, the film was not actually shot in Verzy, nor even in Champagne for the most part. A missed opportunity, I think.

Veuve Clicquot still owns vineyards in Verzy and there’s one particular plot that is reserved for the production of La Grande Dame, Veuve Clicquot’s top-of-the-range cuvée. This is a picture of me standing in that same plot on an Autumn day when the vines looked especially beautiful.

The plot has another claim to fame because it is home to individual vine plants dedicated to the winners of the Bold Women Award.

Each year, a little orange plaque bearing the name of the winning lady is fixed to a specific vine and now that the award has been going for 40 years, you can see row upon row of them.

Two More Great Ladies Remembered

Last month marked the passing, at the age of 91, of Brigitte Bardot — an icon of French beauty and style, and a long-time friend of several champagne houses. She had a particular affiliation to Champagne Besserat de Bellefond and was a muse to fashion designers, and indeed to an entire era.

Another legendary woman of that time was Marilyn Monroe, and 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of her birth. Though not French, she famously adored champagne — allegedly filling her bath with Dom Pérignon. Like Bridgitte Bardot, Marilyn was associated with many champagne houses and this year Piper Heidsieck  will be releasing a special cuvée in her honour later this year.

Two very different women, united by glamour, legend… and champagne.

A Date for Your December Diary ?

Every mid-December, the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay transforms for Les Habits de Lumière — “Dressed in Lights”.

It’s a feast for the senses: live music everywhere, fantastical illuminated floats, spectacular sound-and-light shows, and, naturally, all the along the 500 yard length of the avenue, champagne flowing freely as the great houses open their doors for tastings and pop-up bars : Moët & Chandon, Pol Roger, Perrier-Jouët, De Venoge, Boizel, Esterlin and A. Bergère, to name just a few.

It’s unforgettable. I doubt you will ever have seen so much champagne being poured in one place on one occasion — but two pieces of advice:

• Book accommodation early (very early) and be sure to check the exact dates, they vary slightly each year.
• Be ready for crowds.

The attendance figures for 2025 are not yet available but over the two days of the event in 2024, around 67,000 people attended. Don’t expect fewer in 2026.

Champagne Games

Looking for a gift idea for a champagne lover — or perhaps a treat for yourself and your family?

Two new champagne-themed board games have just been released. One is a Champagne edition of Monopoly. The other, intriguingly titled AOC (Age of Champagne), puts you in charge of your own champagne house: securing grape supplies, managing blends, and balancing production with sales and marketing.

If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to run a champagne business, this game offers a surprisingly insightful (and entertaining) glimpse behind the scenes.

Let me know if you’d like more details.

That’s all for this bulletin. I’ll write again from time to time when there’s more curious and slightly left-field news to bring you.

Meanwhile, all the best for 2026. ????

JH January 2026