Set in France during the Napoleonic Wars, this is the true story of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin (1777–1866), the “Grande Dame of Champagne”, otherwise known as Veuve Clicquot.
At 20, she married the descendant of a winemaking family. Though their marriage was arranged, a timeless love blossomed between Barbe-Nicole and her poetic, unconventional and erratic husband, François (Tom Sturridge). After her spouse’s untimely death, she is named Veuve (the French word for widow) at age 27, but is determined to protect her family’s legacy and boldly challenge the men - as well as the state - set on stripping her of her vineyards. Determined to advance her husband's theories about soil chemistry, the configuring of vines and revolutionary techniques in bottling, Barbe-Nicole wagers on the next harvest and her own blend of sparkling wine. Challenged by the capriciousness of the seasons, the aggressive competitor Monsieur Moët and the Napoleonic Code of 1804 barring women from running businesses, the elegant and luminous widow must succeed or lose everything. A toast of Veuve Clicquot to all strong women around the world!
USA 2023 Thomas Napper 89m
