Veuve Cliquot developed the first system of Remuage, which is the process of removing the dead yeast cells from a bottle of champagne.

Veuve Cliquot's actual name was Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin. She married a gentleman by the name of Mr Cliquot when she was about twenty-two years old. They moved to the countryside from Paris to start a winery and a house of champagne.

Sylvia's husband died, and she was, widowed although decided to stay, a young widow, in the countryside making champagne. After a while, she became known around town as the widow Cliquot, in other words, Veuve Cliquot. Now she was extremely successful; she was outrageously successful as a matter of fact, so much so that to this day, the French government has an award for a female entrepreneur every year and it is called the Veuve Cliquot Award.