Women have played a significant role in the history of Champagne, particularly as widows who have taken over their husband’s or son’s estates. Names like Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, Louise Pommery, and Lily Bollinger are among the most renowned examples. However, women in Champagne have mostly remained in the background, as is the case in most wine regions. Fortunately, things are changing, and there are now two groups dedicated to promoting the wines and the place of women in Champagne. Les Fa’Bulleuses de Champagne and La Transmission bring together women in senior positions, which includes owners, directors, and cellar masters, many in major houses. This article profiles five women who are taking their places in Champagne’s leadership.
Anne Malassagne, Champagne A.R. Lenoble, Damery
“In 1993, my choice to leave cosmetics and return to our estate in order to take care of the family vineyards was filled with emotion ” ANNE MALASSAGNE
For 25 years, Anne Malassagne, 55, has been pursuing her vision of how her family’s Champagne house, AR Lenoble, could survive independently in a world of big producers. In 1993, she left her job as a financial controller at L’Oréal in Paris, planning to work with her father. His sudden illness just months later left Malassagne, at age 28, with a Champagne house mired in debt and crisis. Joined by her brother, Antoine, in 1996, the pair have followed a path of survival to develop their successful niche.
The question was should they sell up or sell to supermarkets. The siblings decided to follow a third path. They chose to stay small and concentrate on their treasury of vineyards in Grand Cru Chouilly and Premier Cru Bisseuil, south and east of Épernay, respectively. They would craft unique Champagnes in the Burgundian model to highlight their terroir.
“Our credo is the life of the soil. That way, you have fewer grapes and better quality.“
Anne Malassagne
To make these wines, they needed a reserve of Champagnes that could be blended into each release. From 2010, rather than aging in barrels or tanks, these reserve wines are placed in magnums. Today, 30,000 magnums age in the Lenoble cellars.
And so the Mag range was born, a Champagne blend based on one vintage with at least 40% magnum-matured reserve wines. The first, Mag 14, was released in 2018. The latest iteration, Mag 16, an extra brut, arrived in 2020.
It’s been a long journey. Last year, they planned to celebrate Lenoble’s centenary. With celebrations on hold, Anne and Antoine decided to instead release a special set of four Champagnes, one made by each generation of the Lenoble family.
Delphine Brulez, Champagne Louise Brison, Noé les Mallets
“Champagne is a unique product in continual evolution. Each bottle is different and changes over the years, a little like human beings.” DELPHINE CAZALS
There’s a tradition of women in charge at Champagne Louise Brison. “My grandmother, Louise Brison, was a strong woman,” says Brulez. “She is the one who bought vineyards when they were still such good value. She knew they were our future.”
Today, the estate has 37 acres. Brulez, 38, represents the fourth generation of the family in the Côte des Bars, in the southern Champagne region of the Aube. She sees herself as her grandmother all over again.
“I am organized and strong-willed,” she says. “It pains me to see men in jobs that women could do. Why do we always end up in marketing and not production?”
Production is what interests Brulez. Her father retired two years ago, but he hasn’t stopped working. “He likes to sell, I like to make wine,” she says.
Delphine Brulez is another woman in Champagne’s leadership, representing the fourth generation of her family in the Côte des Bars, in the southern Champagne region of the Aube. She took over the family business Champagne Louise Brison after her father’s retirement, who still actively sells, and began implementing changes to the estate, including the shift to organic practices.
For Brulez, the production of vintage Champagnes has always been a priority, wanting to capture a snapshot of a year and distinguish herself as a small producer. As she puts it, “My goal is to remain independent. I know the balance in Champagne is moving against small growers, especially in these tough economic times. But I believe in our Champagnes, and I have to have faith in the vines, the grapes, and my ability.”
Vitalie Taittinger, Champagne Taittinger, Reims
“History must embody the character of the one who writes it.” VITALIE TAITTINGER
Vitalie Taittinger, the president of Champagne Taittinger, also represents the new generation of women in Champagne’s leadership. She took over as president from her father in January 2020 and is determined to maintain the family’s tradition and guard their patrimony. Taittinger is very aware that her surname adorns every bottle of Champagne the house produces and sees herself as the keeper of the soul of the house.
Taittinger acknowledges the great responsibility of Champagne in a world of many sparkling wines and plans to position Champagne as a wine and not just bubbles. She also emphasizes the need for sustainability and commitment to the environment, reflecting the family’s proud tradition.
Charlotte De Sousa, Champagne De Sousa, Avize
“I have to show that I am just as capable and to gain the respect of men, especially when I visit restaurants and importers.” CHARLOTTA DE SOUSA
Charlotte De Sousa, the face of Champagne De Sousa, is another woman taking her place in Champagne’s leadership. She completed the Organisation International du Vin (OIV) Master of Science in Wine Management and represents the new generation of women in charge of the family business.
De Sousa feels the need to prove herself in what she sees as a man’s world and to gain the respect of men, especially when visiting restaurants and importers. She is an enthusiastic member of Les Fa’Bulleuses, a group of friends who run independent family Champagne grower-producers. Together, they demonstrate that they can do everything in the cellar, in the vines, and in sales.
“As a group, we are able to demonstrate that we are able to do everything, in the cellar, in the vines and in sales.“
Charlotte De Sousa
Evelyne Roques Boizel, Champagne Boizel, Épernay
“Champagne is the wine of emotion and shared pleasure...” EVELYNE BOIZEL
Evelyne Roques Boizel retired after 47 years at the helm of her family’s operation, can look back on the change in attitudes toward women in wine and look ahead to a future where women are more empowered to demand their rightful place. When Boizel started, it was tough being a woman in a male-dominated industry. Today, she acknowledges that although business is harder, women are more respected.
“When I started, it was tough being a woman. When I went to meetings with my sales manager, they wanted to talk to him. Although business is harder today, women are more respected.”
Evelyne Roques Boizel
La Transmission
The creation of La Transmission, a group of women in powerful positions in Champagne houses, reflects that change. The group defends Champagne, and its members exchange ideas and research about subjects like climate change. However, as Boizel puts it, “we want to help women to feel empowered, to be committed and bold, and to demand their rightful place.”
As the next generation of women take their place in Champagne’s leadership, they face the challenge of maintaining their family’s tradition and reputation in a rapidly changing world. But with their determination, dedication, and vision, they are ready to take on this challenge and make their mark in the world of Champagne.