Pommery (champagne)

Pommery (champagne) : Pommery is a maison de champagne situated at Reims en Champagne and founded in 1836.
Pommery is one of the maisons de champagne who owe their existence and their succes to a widow.

History of Pommery champagne
Origins and Foundation: The history of Pommery champagne dates back to 1836, when it was created, Reims, from the house of trading Dubois-Gossart (or Dubois-Gosset depending on the sources).
Un an later, Mr. Gossart left his place to Joseph-Narcisse Greno (1810-1892), the company's traveler-trader, to create the Dubois & Greno house. In 1839, Mr. Dubois died and André Wibert succeeded him. Greno and Wibert create the general partnership (SNC) Wibert & Greno, whose activity is the trade in fine Champagne wines, due to expire on August 1, 1854. The 16 September 1854, the company which celebrates its 15th anniversary, is extended for 3 years until the 1st August 1857, probably time to find a buyer.
Indeed, on the 16th July 1856, Alexandre Louis Pommery (1811-1858), merchant in wool and then installed at 7 rue Vauthier-le-Noir, not far from the cathedral, is carrying out a total reconversion of its activity by taking over for 60.000 francs the share of André Wibert who was retiring from business.
The Pommery & Greno Company, whose corporate purpose is the trading and production of champagne, was born.
Madame Pommery and the Polignacs: It was in 1858 upon the death of Alexandre Louis that Madame Pommery (1819-1890), married at 20, took full control of the company. She was assisted by Narcisse Greno until 1860.
It expands production to around two million bottles per year and makes Pommery one of the biggest champagne brands. Given the cramped conditions of the premises of the rue Vauthier-le-Noir, Jeanne-Alexandrine Pommery acquired, from the 1860s, five hectares of land on and under the Saint Nicaise hill. Gradually, the company buys other parcels until it constitutes a Domaine of 65 hectares. The construction of Domaine Pommery extends from 1869 until the 1910s.
In 1866, the brand was renown Widow Pommery & fils due to the entry of her son, Louis Pommery, into the company.
Champagne Pommery is the first house to market a champagne brut in 1874.
After the death of the widowed Madame Pommery in 1890, her son Louis, the partner Henry Vasnier and her daughter Louise, Marquise de Polignac, took up the torch.

In 1907, the two directors of the company, Louis Pommery and Henry Vasnier, died. Melchior de Polignac, the grandson of Veuve Pommery, takes over from them. After the Great Aviation Week of the Champagne, in 1909, premier meeting aerien du world, he had the idea of ​​creating the Pommery Cup, an aviation competition, in order to make advertising , trademark.

In 1946, Count Charles De Polignac and in 1951, Prince Guy De Polignac, president of SA Pommery & Greno. The company entered the stock market in 1968 and escaped a takeover by Moët & Chandon.
The Polignac family continued to run the company until 1979. Later, the house passed into the hands of Xavier Gardinier, the BSN group and the LVMH group who acquired it in 1991
The 21st century: The Pommery brand is bought in LVMH group in 2002 by the Vranken Monopole group, as well as around thirty hectares of vineyards, minor part of the Pommery estate.
The group immediately changed its name to Vranken-Pommery Monopoly.