Since its foundation in 1772, the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin House has remained true to its motto: "only one quality, the finest". Its history carries the mark of an exceptional woman: Barbe Nicole Ponsardin, Madame Veuve Clicquot. This young widow of 27 years old was left devastated by the untimely death of her husband but courageously took up the helm of the family business. She was uncompromising on quality, and set off to conquer the world, transmitting her taste for excellence and innovation to her successors. The anchor, the Christian symbol for hope and rigour, was chosen in 1798 by Philippe Clicquot, the founder of the House, as the cork brand. The only distinguishing mark in the era before labels. As a symbol of hope, the anchor was a perfect emblem for a young entrepreneur with faith in the prosperity of his newly founded business. Madam Clicquot continued to use the same cork brand when she took over the running of the House in 1805. In keeping the anchor emblem through the centuries, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin remains faithful to the signs and the symbols of its roots.