Christmas countdown: the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardine

Yes, it was just a week ago that I had a Christmas Countdown featuring champagne but by Jove I’m going to do it again! One can never have too much champagne, right?

This time I’m shining the seasonal spotlight on Veuve Clicquot, a champagne name I’m always very partial to and enjoyed in its sassy rose form at the opening of the first Bobbi Brown store in Australasia last week.

For Christmas the legendary house is offering a humorous take on their signature drop in the form of a gift box that mixes quirky design with a clever reference to their rich history – and isn’t she pretty? 

The Ponsardine Giftbox is a clever conversation starter as it begins with a tongue-in-cheek reference to the family name Ponsardine. Veuve Clicquot has revisited the family crest of Barbe Nicole Ponsardine, Madame Clicquot, the woman charged with guiding the modern success of the company. Born into a family with a penchant for wit, Madame Clicquot’s father was named a baron of the Empire by Napoleon I in 1813 and honoured with a Coat of Arms. In choosing this symbol, Nicolas Ponsardine took a satirical twist on his name, selecting a coat of arms that depicted a bridge (“Pont” in French) beneath a sardine.  Pon(t)Sardin(e)

The Ponsardine giftbox thus takes its styling cues from that of a sardine tin, with a cute twist and pop tab opening – and it’s reusable!

She’s available at Glengarry stores in the North Island and Ballantynes in the South at a RRP of $79.99, so pop in a grab one or two for your favourites this summer.