LVMH is a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate headquartered in Paris. But what do we know about the luxury wine brands they own? Here we take a look at some of the LVMH Wine brands…
Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, also known as LVMH is a French multinational luxury goods company based in Paris and owned by Chairman & CEO Bernard Arnault. The company was formed in 1987 under the merger of fashion house Louis Vuitton with Moët Hennessy. The company formed after the 1971 merger between the champagne producer Moët & Chandon and Hennessy, the cognac manufacturer.
But how many brands do they own and what are they famous for burgeoning winery arm?
What we will start by saying, is LVMH is a company you need to know about if you’re serious about investing.
Moët & Chandon
Founded in 1743, and perhaps the most well known of LVMH’s enviable list of owned vineyards, Moët & Chandon remains one of the biggest names in champagne.
Claude Moët, its founder, was the first person to embody these values when he made his Champagne the most sought-after in Europe.
With his grandson, Jean Remy Moët, a pioneering and visionary mind, Moët & Chandon became a major international champagne brand. This saga quickly transformed the family House into a worldwide symbol of success. The 1,190 hectares of rich limestone soil, 50% of which is classed as Grand Cru and 25% Premier Cru, make up the largest vineyard area in Champagne.
Underground, the Moët & Chandon cellars are the most extensive in the region. Extending more than 28 kilometers, they form a subterranean labyrinth where the wine metamorphoses under optimum conditions of humidity and temperature.
Veuve Clicquot
When he founded his “wine merchant business under the label Clicquot” in 1772, Philippe Clicquot had a clear ambition: cross all borders.
He conquered Europe and then Russia in 1780, followed by the United States in 1782. He was joined at the head of the House in 1798 by his son, François Clicquot, who had recently married Barbe Ponsardin.
Seven years later, following the untimely death of François Clicquot, his young widow, just 27 years old, took over the family business. Within just a few decades, Madame Clicquot was shipping wine to every continent.
She perfected production techniques, invented the riddling table and innovated with the first blended rosé champagne. Faithful to the values of creativity and innovation passed on by Madame Clicquot, the Maison marked its bottles with its first yellow label in 1877. Thus making the brand distinctive and instantly recognizable.
Château d’Yquem
Long before it was enjoyed by the first US President George Washington, the wines of Yquem had already begun writing their chapters in the history books.
It all began in 1453 when Aquitaine, previously English, was brought under French rule. A century later, a local nobleman by the name of Jacques Sauvage was granted feudal tenure over Yquem and thus became the first in a long line of dedicated winemakers. This outstanding terroir in the sauternes appellation has exceptional climate conditions and geological features.
Château d’Yquem was attributed the esteemed title Premier Cru Supérieur in 1855. From that point, the genius of this sweet wine was acknowledged, and the Sauvage and Lur Saluces families went on preserving their treasure for over 400 years.
The LVMH wine group acquired the estate in 1999, with the continued desire to go on writing the legendary Yquem story, both in keeping with tradition and remaining open to modern advances.
Krug
“Our unconventional practices, making choices that were not necessarily the easiest ones and going beyond established rules, have been part of our vision, ever since the House was founded.” …explains Olivier Krug, the sixth generation of the Krug family.
Paying close attention to the vineyard’s character, respecting the individuality of each plot and its wine as well as building an extensive library of reserve wines from many different years, allowed Joseph Krug to fulfil his objective.
He founded a House in which all Champagnes are different expressions of nature and have the same undisputed quality and distinction.
Since 1843, six generations of the Krug family have maintained the dream, enriching Joseph’s vision and savoir-faire.
