Legacy in Motion: How Veuve Clicquot Is Elevating South Africa’s Boldest Women

For more than two centuries, Madame Clicquot’s legacy has represented fearless ambition. At just 27, she defied convention. In 1805, she took control of her late husband’s champagne house and transformed it into a global empire at a time when women were excluded from business leadership.

That same spirit lives on today through the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award.

Now in its fifth South African edition, the award has become a launchpad for visionary women entrepreneurs. It offers far more than recognition. It creates global access, meaningful connections and lasting legacy.

A Global Stage in Reims

In June 2025, four South African winners travelled to Reims, France, joining laureates from 27 countries at the prestigious Bold Woman Award Forum.

The South African delegation included:

• Claire Blanckenberg – Founder of Reel Gardening
• Zama Ngcobo – Founder of WMN Attorneys Inc.
• Morongwe “Mo” Mokone – Co-founder of Mo’s Crib
• Refilwe Sebothoma – Founder of Hakem Energies

For each woman, the experience was transformational. Refilwe described the visit as deeply intentional. Every detail reflected boldness, excellence and legacy. It was a powerful reminder that building with vision creates impact long after the moment has passed.

Walking in Madame Clicquot’s Footsteps

Beneath Reims lies the historic Crayères, Veuve Clicquot’s iconic chalk cellars where champagne ages for decades.

For Mo Mokone, walking through those silent passages was a moment of reflection. It reminded her that extraordinary success often begins with humble origins. Long before scaling into global manufacturing, her business journey began folding origami swans by hand at local markets.

For Zama Ngcobo, the return to the Maison carried personal meaning. Nearly a decade earlier, she visited as an admirer of Madame Clicquot’s story. That visit inspired her to think bigger. Today, she is expanding her legal advisory footprint across Africa.

Claire Blanckenberg called the experience a marker of growth. Meeting women from across the globe renewed her passion for collaboration and innovation.

A Vineyard Legacy That Lasts for Generations

One of the most moving moments of the journey comes with a rare honour. Each Bold Woman laureate has a vine named after her in Veuve Clicquot’s vineyards. It is a symbol of permanence. A living legacy rooted in Champagne’s historic soil.

When Refilwe saw her name etched into the vineyard, she was overcome with emotion. The moment became deeply personal. She immediately thought of her daughter and what that legacy would mean for future generations.

For Mo, standing beside her vine with family members transformed success into something visible and enduring. It was proof that possibility can be planted and grown.

The Power of the Bold Network

Recognition is powerful. Connection is transformational. Across intimate dinners and shared conversations in Reims, South Africa’s winners joined women building influential businesses across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

These relationships matter.

According to Veuve Clicquot’s 2023 International Bold Barometer, 82% of South African women believe female entrepreneurs face greater criticism than men.

Access to trusted global networks helps challenge those barriers. For many winners, the Bold Woman Award shifts recognition into belonging. It confirms that their businesses are not just locally relevant. They are globally significant.

What Happens After the Award

The impact continues long after the journey home.

For Refilwe, a chance meeting with a major CEO on her return flight opened the door to strategic partnership discussions.

For Mo, alignment with Veuve Clicquot strengthened her company’s international positioning.

For Zama, conversations initiated in France evolved into advisory opportunities linked to Africa’s leading investment platforms.

For Claire, new collaborations are already taking shape.

The award creates momentum. It turns ambition into action.

A Legacy Still Being Written

South African women entrepreneurs are redefining resilience. They are building boldly. Scaling globally. Creating legacies designed to outlive them. The Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award celebrates exactly that. It honours women who choose expansion over hesitation and legacy over limitation. More than an accolade, it is a global invitation to think bigger. And for South Africa’s boldest women, the future is already in motion.